NIYERSITY  OF 


CAROLINA 

OTJVF.R    OEJIC'S 


Hnk^W  STORIES. 

_  cience 

A  Library  for  Young  and  Old,  in  six  volumes, 
^rao.    Illustrated.    Per  vol.,  $1.50. 

Tlie     (Sailor    Boy,    or    Jack 

Somers  in  the  Navy. 

Tlie    Yankee    Mliddy,    or 

Adventures  of  a  Naval  Officer. 

Brave     Old    Salt,   or  Life  on 

the  Quarter  Deck. 

The    Soldier    Boy,   or  Tom 

Somers  in  the  Army. 

The  Young  Lieutenant, 

Or  The  Adventures  of  an  Army  Officer. 

Fighting    Joe,   or  the   Fortunes 

of  a  Staff  Officer. 

"  The  writings  of  Oliver  Optic  are  the  most  pe- 
culiarly fitted  for  juvenile  readers  of  any  works 
now  published.  There  is  a  freshness  and  vivacity 
about  them  which  is  very  engaging  to  older  read- 
ers. The  benefit  which  a  young  mind  will  ob- 
tain from  reading  the  healthy  descriptions,  full  of 
zest  and  life,  and,  withal,  containing  a  great  deal 
of  very  useful  information,  is  almost  incalcula- 
ble." —  Toledo  Blade. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


T- 


OLIVER  OPTIC'S  Q 


RIVERDALE  STORIES. 

Twelve  volumes.    Profusely  illustrated  from  new 

designs  by  Billings.    In  neat  box. 

Cloth.    Per  vol.,  46  c. 

Little   Merchant. 
Young  "Voyagers. 
Christinas    Grift. 
Dolly   and   I. 
TJncle   Ben. 
Birthday   Barty. 
Proud   and   Lazy. 
Careless    Kate. 
Robinson   Crusoe,   Jr. 
The   Bicnic   Barty. 
The   Grold   Thimble. 
The   Do-Somethings. 

•'  Anxious  mothers  who  wish  to  keep  their  boys 
out  of  mischief,  will  do  well  to  keep  their  hands 
filled  with  one  of  the  numerous  volumes  of  Oliver 
Optic.  They  all  have  a  good  moral,  are  full  of 
fascinating  incidents  mingled  with  instruction, 
and  teach  that  straight-forwardness  is  best."  — 
News. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


OLIVER   OPTIC'S 

MAGAZINE. 

OLIVER  OPTIC,  Editor. 

Published  Monthly. 
Each  number  contains : 
Part  of  a  NEW  STORY,  by  the  Editor. 
STORIES  and  SKETCHES,  by  popular 

authors. 
An  ORIGINAL  DIALOGUE. 
A  DECLAMATION. 
PUZZLES,  REBUSES,  &c. 
All  Handsomely  Illustrated. 
Terms:  $2.50  per  year  ;  25  cts.  per  number. 
Sold  Everywhere. 

^Remember,  this  Magazine 
contains  more  reading  matter 
than  any  other  juvenile  maga- 
zine published. 

Specimen  copies  sent  free  by  mail  on  appli- 
cation. 


LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


OLIVER   OPTIC'S 

YOUNG  AMERICA  ABROAD. 

A  Library  of  Travel  and  Adventure  in  Foreign 

Lands.     16mo.     Illustrated  by  Nast, 

Stevens,  Perkins,  and  others. 

Per  volume,  $1.50. 

Outward.    Bound,  or   Young 
America  Afloat. 

ShaxnrooJ*:    &   Thistle,  or 

Young  America  in  Ireland  and  Scotland. 

Red.    Cross,   or  Young  America  in 
England  and  Wales. 

IMlces    &    Ditches,  or  Young 
America  in  Holland  and  Belgium. 

Palace  «fe  Cottage,  or  Young 
America  in  France  and  Switzerland. 

Down  the  Khine,  or  Young 
America  in  Germany. 

■•  These  are  by  far  the  most  instructive  books 
written  by  this  popular  author,  and  while  main- 
taining throughout  enough  of  excitement  and  ad- 
venture to  enchain  the  interest  of  the  youthfu 
reader,  there  is  still  a  great  amount  of  informa- 
tion conveyed  respecting  the  history,  natural  fea- 
tures, and  geography  ofthis  far-off  land,  and  the 
peculiarities  of  the  places  and  people  which  they 
contain." —  Gazette. 


LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


Six  Vols.,  Illust.     Per  vol.,  $1.25. 


Through  by  Daylight  ; 

Or,  The  Young  Engineer  of  the  Lake 
Shore  Railroad. 

Lightning  Express ; 

Or,  The  Rival  Academies. 

On  Time; 

Or,  The  Young  Captain  of  the  Ucayga 
Steamer. 

Switch  Off; 

Or,  The  War  of  the  Students. 

Brake  Up ; 

Or,  The  Young  Peacemakers. 

Bear  and  Forbear ; 

Or,  The  Young  Skipper  of  Lake  Ucayga. 

Oliver  Optic  owes  his  popularity  to  a  pleasant 
style,  and  to  a  ready  sympathy  with  the  dreams, 
hopes,  aspirations,  and  fancies  of  the  young  people 
for  whom  he  writes.  He  writes  like  a  wise,  over- 
grown boy,  and  his  books  have  therefore  a  fresh- 
ness and  raciness  rarely  attained  by  his  fellow 
scribes.  —  Christian  Advocate. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


- wQXM 

OLIVER   OPTIC'S  ( 

STARRY  FLAG  SERIES. 

Six  Vols.,  Illust.     Per  vol.,  $1.25. 


The  Starry  Flag; 

Or,  The  Young  Fisherman  of  Cape  Ann. 

Breaking  Away; 

Or,  The  Fortunes  of  a  Student. 

Seek  and  Find ; 

Or,  The  Adventures  of  a  Smart  Boy. 

Freaks  of  Fortune ; 

Or,  Half  Round  the  World. 

Make  or  Break; 

Or,  The  Rich  Man's  Daughter. 

Down  the  River; 

Or,  Buck  Bradford  and  his  Tyrants. 

These  books  are  exciting  narratives,  and  full  of 
stirring  adventures,  but  the  youthful  heroes  of  the 
stories  are  noble,  self-sacrificing,  and  courageous, 
and  the  stories  contain  nothing  which  will  do 
injury  to  the  mind  or  heart  of  the  youthful  reader. 
—  Webster  Times. 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


OLIVER   OPTICS 

BOAT   CLUB    SERIES 

Six  Vols.,  Illust.     Per  vol.,  $1.25. 


The  Boat  Clnb ; 

Or,  The  Bunkers  of  Rippleton. 

All  Aboard ; 

Or,  Life  on  the  Lake. 

Now  or  Never ; 

Or,  the  Adventures  of  Bobby  Bright. 

Try  Again ; 

Or,  The  Trials  and  Triumphs  of  Harry 
West. 

Poor  and  Proud; 

Or,  The  Fortunes  of  Katy  Redburn. 

Little  by  Little ; 

Or  The  Cruise  of  the  Flyaway. 

Boys  and  girls  have  no  taste  for  drv  and  tame 
things;  they  want  something  that  will  stir  the 
blood  and  warm  the  heart.  Optic  always  does 
this,  while  at  the  same  time  he  improves  the  taste 
and  elevates  the  moral  nature.  The  coming  gen- 
eration of  men  will  never  know  how  much  they 
are  indebted  tor  what  is  pure  and  enobling  to  his 

writings.  —  R.  1.  Schoolmate. 

LEE  &  SHEPARO,  Publishers,  Boston. 


OLIVER   OPTIC'S 

WOODVILLE  STORIES. 

Six  Vols.,  Illust.     PeR  vol.,  $1.25. 


Bich  and  Humble; 

Or,  The  Mission  of  Bertha  Grant. 

In  School  and  Ont; 

Or,  the  Conquest  of  Richard  Grant 

Watch  and  Wait; 

Or,  The  Young  Fugitives. 

Work  and  Win; 

Or,  Noddy  Newman  on  a  Cruise. 

Hope  and  Have; 

Or,  Fanny  Grant  among  the  Indians. 

Haste  and  Waste; 

Or,   The  Young  Pilot  of  Lake   Cham- 
plain. 

Oliver  Optic  is  the  apostolic  successor,  at  the 
"Hub."  of  Peter  Parley.  He  has  just  completed 
the  "  Woodville  Stories,"  by  the  publication  of 
"Haste  and  Waste."  The  best  notice  to  give  of 
them  is  to  mention  that  a  couple  of  youngsters 
pulled  them  out  of  the  pile  two  hours  since,  and 
are  yet  devouring  them  out  in  the  summer-house 
(albeit  autumn  leaves  cover  it)  oblivious  to  lourSn 
time.  — JV".  lr.  Leader.  C 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://archive.org/details/outwardboundoryoopti 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


x>: 


OUTWARD  BOUND; 


YOUNG    AMERICA    AFLOAT. 


A  Story  of  Travel  axd  Adventure. 


by 

WILLIAM    T.    ADAMS 
(OLIVER    OPTIC). 


BOSTON: 

LEE    AND    SHEPARD,    PUBLISHERS. 

NEW  YORK: 

LEE,  SHEPARD   AND  DILLINGHAM. 

1873. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  18G6,  by 

WILLIAM    T.    ADAMS, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


TO 

GEORGE    WEBSTER    TERRILL 

This  Volume 

IS  RESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED. 


l 


YOUNG  AMERICA  ABROAD. 

BY   OLIVER   OPTIC. 

A  Library  of  Travel  and  Adventure  in  Foreign  Lands.  First 
and  Second  Series ;  six  volumes  in  each  Series.  i6mo. 
Illustrated. 

First  Series. 
L    OUTWARD  BOUND;  or,  Young  America  Afloat. 
II.    SHAMROCK  AND  THISTLE;  or,  Young  America 
in  Ireland  and  Scotland. 

III.  RED  CROSS  ;  or,  Young  America  in  England  and 

Wales. 

IV.  DIKES  AND  DITCHES;  or,  Young  America  in 

HOLLAND    AND    BELGIUM. 

V.   PALACE   AND    COTTAGE:    or,  Young  America 
in  France  and  Switzerland. 
VI.    DOWN    THE    RHINE;    or,   Young    America    in 
Germany. 

Second  Series. 

I.    UP  THE  BAL  TIC  :  or,  Young  America  in  Denmark 

and  Sweden. 
II.   NORTHERN    LANDS;     or,    Young    America    in 
Prussia  and  Russia. 

III.  VINE   AND    OLIVE;  or,  Young  America  in  Spain 

and  Portugal. 

IV.  SUNNT  SHORES ;   or,  Young  America  in  ItalV 

and  Austria. 
V.    CROSS   AATD    CRESCENT;    or,  Young  America 
in  Greece  and  Turkey. 
VI.   ISLES  OF  THE  SEA ;   or,  Young  America  Home- 
ward Bound. 


PREFACE 


Outward  Bound  is  the  first  volume  of  "A  Library  of 
Travel  and  Adventure  in  Foreign  Lands,"  and  contains  the 
voyage  of  the  Academy  Ship  '"Young  America"  across  the 
Atlantic.  The  origin  and  progress  of  this  aquatic  institution 
are  incidentally  developed,  and  the  plan  is  respectfully  sub- 
mitted to  the  consideration  of  those  who  are  interested  in 
the  education  and  moral  training  of  the  class  of  young  men 
who  are  the  characters  in  the  scenes  described  in  this  work. 
Besides  a  full  description  of  the  routine  and  discipline  of  the 
ship,  as  an  educational  and  reformatory  institution,  the  vol- 
ume contains  a  rather  free  exposi  of  the  follies  and  frailties 
of  youth,  but  their  vices  are  revealed  to  suggest  the  remedy. 

The  story  includes  the  experience  of  the  officers  and  crew 
of  the  Young  America,  eighty-seven  in  number,  though,  of 
course,  only  a  few  of  them  can  appear  as  prominent  actors. 
As  the  ship  has  a  little  world,  with  all  the  elements  of  good 
and  evil,  within  her  wooden  walls,  the  story  of  the  individual 
will  necessarily  be  interwoven  with  that  of  the  mass ;  and 
the  history  of  "The  Chain  League,"  in  the  present  volume, 
of  which  Shuffles  is  the  hero,  will,  it  is  hoped,  convey  an 
instructive  lesson  to  young  men  who  are  disposed  to  rebel 
against  reasonable  discipline  and  authority. 

(5) 


6  PREFACE. 

In  the  succeeding  volumes  of  this  series,  the  adventures, 
travels,  and  "  sight-seeing,"  as  well  as  the  individual  and 
collective  experience  of  the  juvenile  crew  of  the  Academy 
Ship,  will  be  narrated.  They  will  visit  the  principal  ports 
of  Europe,  as  well  as  penetrate  to  the  interior;  but  they 
will  always  be  American  boys,  wherever  they  are. 

The  author  hopes  that  the  volumes  of  the  series  will  not 
only  be  instructive  as  a  description  of  foreign  lands,  and 
interesting  as  a  record  of  juvenile  exploits,  but  that  they 
will  convey  correct  views  of  moral  and  social  duties,  and 
stimulate  the  young  reader  to  their  faithful  performance. 

Harrison  Square,  Mass., 
November  2.  18S6. 


CONTENTS 


eilAFTKB  PAGB 

I.    The  Idea  suggested. n 

II.     The  Young  America 27 

III.  The  Ensign  at  the  Peak.          ....  43 

IV.  Officers  and  Seamen.            ....  59 
V.  ,  Our  Fellows 75 

VI.    The  Fourth  of  July.      .        .        .        .        .  91 

VII.     Heaving  the  Log.        ; 106 

VIII.     Outward  Bound 122 

IX.    The  Watch  Bill 138 

X.    Making  a  Chain 154 

XI.    The  Gamblers  in  No.  8 170 

XII.    The  Root  of  all  Evil.           ....  186 

XIII.  Piping  to  Mischief 202 

XIV.  All  Hands,  Reef  Topsails!          .        .        .  218 
XV.    After  the  Gale. 233 

(7) 


8  CONTENTS. 

CIIAPTEB  PAGE 

XVI.  The  Wreck  of  the  Sylvia 248 

XVII.  Peas  and  Beans. 263 

XVIII.  The  Result  of  the  Ballot.           .        .  .     2S0 

XIX.  Man  overboard  ! 299 

XX.  The  End  of  the  Chain  League.  .        .  .    31S 


OUTWARD    BOUND 


OUTWARD    BOUND; 


OR, 


YOUNG    AMERICA    AFLOAT 


CHAPTER    I. 


THE      IDEA     SUGGESTED. 


THERE  are  no  such  peaches  this  side  of  New 
Jersey ;  and  you  can't  get  them,  for  love  or 
money,  at  the  stores.  All  we  have  to  do  is,  to  fill 
our  pockets,  and  keep  our  mouths  closed  —  till  the 
peaches  are  ripe  enough  to  eat,"  said  Robert  Shuffles, 
the  older  and  the  larger  of  two  boys,  who  had  just 
climbed  over  the  high  fence  that  surrounded  the  fine 
garden  of  Mr.  Lowington. 

"What  will  Baird  say  if  he  finds  it  out?"  replied 
Isaac  Monroe,  his  companion. 

"  Baird,"  the  gentleman  thus  irreverently  alluded 
to,  was  the  principal  of  the  Brockway  Academy,  of 
which  Shuffles  and  Monroe  were  pupils  in  the  board- 
ing department. 

"  What  will  he  say  when  he  finds  out  that  the  King 
of  the  Tonga  Islands  picks  his  teeth  with   a  pitch- 


12  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

fork?  "  added  Shuffles,  contemptuously.  "  I  don't  in- 
tend that  he  shall  find  it  out ;  and  he  won't,  unless 
you  tell  him." 

"  Of  course,  I  shall  not  tell  him." 

"  Come  along,  then ;  it  is  nearly  dark,  and  no  one 
will  see  us." 

Shuffles  led  the  way  down  the  gravelled  walk  till 
he  came  to  a  brook,  on  the  bank  of  which  stood  the 
peach  tree  whose  rich  fruit  had  tempted  the  young 
gentlemen  to  invade  the  territory  of  Mr.  Lowington 
with  intent  to  plunder. 

"  There  they  are,"  said  the  chief  of  the  young 
marauders,  as  he  paused  behind  a  clump  of  quince 
bushes,  and  pointed  at  the  coveted  fruit.  "  There's 
no  discount  on  them,  and  they  are  worth  coming 
after." 

"  Hark  !  "  whispered  Monroe.     "  I  heard  a  noise." 

"What  was  it?" 

"  I  don't  know.      I'm  afraid  we  shall  be  caught." 

"  No  danger  ;  no  one  can  see  us  from  the  house." 

"  But  I'm  sure  there's  some  one  near.  I  heard 
something." 

"  Nonsense  !  It  was  only  a  dagger  of  the  mind, 
such  as  Baird  talks  about,"  answered  Shuffles,  as  he 
crawled  towards  the  peach  tree.  "  Come,  Monroe, 
be  quick,  and   fill  your  pockets." 

This  peach  tree  was  a  choice  variety,  in  whose 
cultivation  the  owner  had  been  making  an  elaborate 
experiment.  Mr.  Lowington  had  watched  it  and 
nursed  it  with  the  most  assiduous  care,  and  now  it 
bore  about  a  dozen  remarkably  large  and  beautiful 
peaches.     They  were    not   quite   ripe   enough  to  be 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 3 

gathered,  but  Shuffles  was  confident  that  they  would 
11  mellow"  in  his  trunk  as  well  as  on  the  tree.  The 
experiment  of  the  cultivator  had  been  a  success,  and 
he  had  already  prepared,  with  much  care  and  labor,  a 
paper  explanatory  of  the  process,  which  he  intended 
to  read  before  the  Pomological  Society,  exhibiting 
the  fruit  as  the  evidence  of  the  practicability  of  his 
method.  To  Mr.  Lowington,  therefore,  the  peaches 
had  a  value  far  beyond  their  intrinsic  worth. 

Shuffles  gathered  a  couple  of  the  peaches,  and  urged 
his  companion  to  use  all  possible  haste  in  stripping 
the  tree  of  its  rich  burden. 

"Hallo,  there!  What  are  you  about?"  shouted 
some  one,  who  hastened  to  make  his  presence  known 
to  the  plunderers. 

Monroe  began  to  retreat. 

"  Hold  on  !  "  interposed  Shuffles.  "  It's  no  one  but 
Harry  Marty n." 

"  He  can  tell  of  us  just  as  well  as  anybody  else." 

"If  he  does,  he  will  catch  it." 

"What  are  you  doing?"  demanded  Harry  Martyn, 
—  who  was  a  nephew  of  Mr.  Lowington,  and  lived 
with  him,  —  as  he  crossed  the  rustic  bridge  that 
spanned  the  brook. 

"  Don't  you  see  what  I'm  doing?"  replied  Shuffles, 
with  an  impudent  coolness  which  confounded  Harry. 

"  Stop  that,  Shuffles ! "  cried  Harry,  indignantly. 
"  My  uncle  wouldn't  take  ten  dollars  apiece  for  those 
peaches." 

"That's  more  than  he'll  get  for  them,"  added  Shuf- 
fles, as  he  reached  up  and  gathered  another  peach. 

"  Stop  that,  I  tell  you  !  "  said  Harry,  angrily,  as  he 
2 


14  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

stepped  up,  in  a  menacing  attitude,  before  the  reckless 
marauder. 

"  Shut  up,  Harry !  You  know  me,  and  when  I  get 
all  these  peaches,  I've  got  something  to  say  to  you." 

Shuffles  was  about  to  gather  another  of  the  peaches, 
when  Harry,  his  indignation  overcoming  his  prudence, 
grasped  his  arm,  and  pulled  him  away  from  the  tree. 

"What  do  you  mean,  Harry  Martyn?"  exclaimed 
Shuffles,  apparently  astonished  at  the  temerity  of  the 
youth.  "  I  can't  stop  to  lick  you  now ;  but  I'll  do  it 
within,  twenty-four  hours." 

"  Well,  donJt  you  touch  those  peaches,  then." 

"  Yes,  I  will  touch  them.  I  intend  to  have  the 
whole  of  them  ;  and  if  you  say  a  word  to  your  uncle 
or  any  one  else  about  it,  I'll  pulverize  that  head  of 
yours." 

"  No,  you  won't !  You  shall  not  have  those  peaches, 
anyhow,"  replied  the  resolute  little  fellow,  who  was 
no  match,  physically,  for  Shuffles. 

"  If  you  open  your  mouth " 

"  Hallo  !  Uncle  Robert  !  Help,  help  !  Thieves  in 
the  garden !  "  shouted  Harry,  who  certainly  had  no 
defect  of  the  lungs. 

"  Take  that,  you  little  monkey ! "  said  Shuffles, 
angrily,  as  he  struck  the  little  fellow  a  heavy  blow 
on  the  side  of  the  head  with  his  fist,  which  knocked 
him  down.     "  I'll  fix  you  the  next  time  I  see  you." 

Shuffles  consulted  his  discretion  rather  than  his 
valor,  now  that  the  alarm  had  been  given,  and  re- 
treated towards  the  place  where  he  had  entered  the 
garden. 

"  What's  the  matter,  Harry?  "  asked  Mr.  Lowington, 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 5 

as  he  rushed  over  the  bridge,  followed  by  the  gardener 
and  his  assistants,  just  as  Harry  was  picking  himself 
up  and  rubbing  his  head. 

"  They  were  stealing  your  peaches,  and  I  tried  to 
stop  them,"  replied  Harry.  "  They  have  taken  some 
of  them  now." 

Mr.  Lowington  glanced  at  the  favorite  tree,  and  his 
brow  lowered  with  anger  and  vexation.  His  paper 
before  the  "  Pomological "  could  be  illustrated  by 
only  nine  peaches,   instead  of  thirteen. 

"Who  stole  them,  Harry?"  demanded  the  disap- 
pointed fruit-grower. 

The  nephew  hesitated  a  moment,  and  the  question 
was  repeated  with  more  sternness. 

"  Robert  Shuffles  ;  Isaac  Monroe  was  with  him,  but 
he  didn't  take  any  of  the  peaches." 

"What  is  the  matter  with  your  head,  Harry?" 
asked  his  uncle,  when  he  observed  him  rubbing  the 
place  where  the  blow  had  fallen. 

"  Shuffles  struck  me  and  knocked  me  down,  when  I 
called  out  for  you." 

"Did  he?    Where  is  he  now?" 

"  He  and  Monroe  ran  up  the  walk  to  the  back  of 
the  garden." 

"  That  boy  shall  be  taken  care  of,"  continued  Mr. 
Lowington,  as  he  walked  up  the  path  towards  the 
point  where  the  marauders  had  entered.  "  The  Acad- 
emy is  fast  becoming  a  nuisance  to  the  neighborhood, 
because  there  is  neither  order  nor  discipline  among 
the  students." 

The  thieves  had  escaped,  and  as  it  would  be  useless 
to  follow   them,  Mr.    Lowington   went   back  to  the 


16  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

house ;  but  he  was  too  much  annoyed  at  the  loss  of 
his  splendid  peaches,  which  were  to  figure  so  promi- 
nently before  the  "  Pomological,"  to  permit  the  matter 
to  drop  without  further  notice. 

"  Did  he  hurt  you  much,  Harry?"  asked  Mr.  Low- 
ington,  as  they  entered  the  house 

"  Not  much,  sir,  though  he  gave  me  a  pretty  hard 
crack,"  answered  Harry. 

"  Did  you  see  them  when  they  came  into  the 
garden  ?  " 

"  No,  sir ;  I  was  fixing  my  water-wheel  in  the 
brook  when  I  heard  them  at  the  tree.  I  went  up, 
and  tried  to  prevent  Shuffles  from  taking  the  peaches. 
I  caught  hold  of  him,  and  pulled  him  away.  He  said 
he  couldn't  stop  to  lick  me  then,  but  he'd  do  it  within 
twenty-four  hours.  Then  he  hit  me  when  I  called  for 
help." 

"  The  young  scoundrel  !  That  boy  is  worse  than  a 
pestilence  in  any  neighborhood.  Mr.  Baird  seems  to 
have  no  control  over  him." 

Suddenly,  and  without  any  apparent  reason,  Mr. 
Lowington's  compressed  lips  and  contracted  brow 
relaxed,  and  his  face  wore  its  usual  expression  of 
dignified  serenity.  Harry  could  not  understand  the 
cause  of  this  sudden  change  ;  but  his  uncle's  anger 
had  passed  away.  The  fact  was,  that  Mr.  Lowington 
happened  to  think,  while  his  indignation  prompted 
him  to  resort  to  the  severest  punishment  for  Shuffles, 
that  he  himself  had  been  just  such  a  boy  as  the  plun- 
derer of  his  cherished  fruit.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he 
had  been  the  pest  of  the  town  in  which  he  resided. 
His  father   was  a   very  wealthy    man,  and    resorted 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 7 

to  many  expedients  to  cure  the  boy  of  his  vicious 
propensities. 

Young  Lowington  had  a  taste  for  the  sea,  and  his 
father  finally  procured  a  midshipman's  warrant  for 
him  to  enter  the  navy.  The  strict  discipline  of  a  ship 
of  war  proved  to  be  the  "  one  thing  needful"  for  the 
reformation  of  the  wild  youth ;  and  he  not  only 
became  a  steady  young  man,  but  a  hard  student  and 
an  accomplished  officer.  The  navy  made  a  man  of 
him,  as  it  has  of  hundreds  of  the  sons  of  rich  men, 
demoralized  by  idleness  and  the  absence  of  a  rea- 
sonable ambition. 

When  Mr.  Lowington  was  thirty  years  old,  his 
father  died,  leaving  to  each  of  his  three  children  a 
quarter  of  a  million  ;  and  he  had  resigned  his  posi- 
tion in  the  navy,  in  order  to  take  care  of  his  property, 
and  to  lead  a  more  domestic  life  with  his  wife  and 
daughter  than  the  discipline  of  the  service  would 
permit. 

He  had  taken  up  his  residence  in  Brockway,  the 
early  home  of  his  wife.  It  was  a  large  town  on  the 
sea  shore,  only  a  few  miles  from  the  metropolis  of 
New  England,  thus  combining  all  the  advantages  of  a 
home  in  the  city  and  in  the  country.  For  several 
years  he  had  been  happy  in  his  peaceful  retirement. 
But  not  wealth,  nor  even  integrity  and  piety,  can  bar 
the  door  of  the  lofty  mansion  against  the  Destroyer  of 
the  race.  His  wife  died  of  an  hereditary  disease,  which 
gave  no  indication  of  its  presence  till  she  had  passed 
her  thirtieth  year.  Two  years  later,  his  daughter, 
just   blooming   into    maturity,    followed    her   mother 

2  * 


X8   .  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

down  to  the  silent  tomb,  stricken  in  her  freshness 
and  beauty  by  the  same  insidious  malady. 

The  husband  and  father  was  left  desolate.  His 
purest  and  fondest  hopes  were  blighted  ;  but,  while 
he  was  submissive  to  the  will  of  the  Father,  who 
doeth  all  -things  well,  he  became  gloomy  and  sad. 
He  was  not  seen  to  smile  for  a  year  after  the  death  of 
his  daughter,  and  it  was  three  years  before  he  had 
recovered  even  the  outward  semblance  of  his  former 
cheerfulness.  He  was  rich,  but  alone  in  the  world. 
He  continued  to  reside  in  the  home  which  was  en- 
deared to  him  by  the  memories  of  his  loved  and 
lost  ones. 

When  his  wife's  sister  died  in  poverty,  leaving  two 
children,  he  had  taken  them  to  his  home,  and  had 
become  a  father  to  them.  Harry  Martyn  was  a  good 
boy,  and  Josephine  Martyn  was  a  good  girl ;  but  they 
were  not  his  own  children.  There  was  something 
wanting — an  aching  void  which  they  could  not  fill, 
though  Mr.  Lowington  was  to  them  all  that  could  be 
asked  or  expected  of  a  parent. 

Mr.  Lowington  busied  himself  in  various  studies 
and  experiments  ;  but  life  had  ceased  to  be  what  it 
was  before  the  death  of  his  wife  and  daughter.  He 
wanted  more  mental  occupation  ;  he  felt  the  need  of 
greater  activity,  and  he  was  tempted  to  return  to  the 
navy,  even  after  his  absence  of  ten  years  from  the 
service ;  but  this  step,  for  many  reasons,  was  not 
practicable.  At  the  time  when  his  garden  was  in- 
vaded by  the  vandal  students  from  the  Brockway 
Academy,  he  was  still  thinking  what  he  could  do  to 
save  himself  from  the  inglorious  life  of  ease  he  was 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 9 

leading,  and,  at  the  same  time,  serve  his  country  and 
his  race. 

Shuffles  had  robbed  his  garden  of  some  of  his 
choicest  fruit ;  had  struck  his  nephew  a  severe  blow 
on  the  head,  and  threatened  to  inflict  still  greater 
chastisement  upon  him  in  the  future.  Mr.  Lowing- 
ton  was  justly  indignant ;  and  his  own  peace  and  the 
peace  of  the  neighborhood  demanded  that  the  author 
of  the  mischief  should  be  punished,  especially  as  he 
was  an  old  transgressor.  It  was  absolutely  necessary 
that  something  should  be  done,  and  the  retired  naval 
officer  was  in  the  right  frame  of  mind  to  do  it.  Just 
then,  when  he  was  wrought  up  to  the  highest  pitch  of 
indignation,  his  anger  vanished.  Shuffles  at  sixteen 
was  the  counterpart  of  himself  at  fifteen. 

This  was  certainly  no  reason  why  the  hand  of  jus- 
tice should  be  stayed.  Mr.  Lowington  did  not  intend 
to  stay  it,  though  the  thought  of  his  own  juvenile 
depravity  modified  his  view,  and  appeased  his  wrath. 
He  put  on  his  hat  and  left  the  house.  He  walked 
over  to  the  Academy,  and  being  shown  to  the  office 
of  the  principal,  he  informed  him  of  the  depredations 
committed  in  his  garden. 

"  Who  did  it,  Mr.  Lowington  ? "  demanded  the 
principal,  with  proper  indignation  in  his  tones  and 
his  looks. 

"  Shuffles." 

"  I  need  not  have  asked.  That  boy  gives  me  more 
trouble  than  all  the  others  put  together,"  added  Mr. 
Baird,  with  an  anxious  expression.  "And  yet  what 
can  I  do  with  him?" 

"  Expel  him,"  replied  Mr.  Lowington,  laconically. 


tO  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  I  don't  like  to  do  that." 

"Why  not?" 

"  It  would  be  an  injury  to  me." 

"  Why  so  ?  " 

"  It  would  offend  his  father,  who  is  a  person  of 
wealth  and  influence.  When  Shuffles  came  to  Brock- 
way,  ten  other  boys  came  with  him.  He  was  expelled 
from  another  institution,  which  so  incensed  his  father 
that  he  induced  the  parents  of  ten  others  to  take  their 
sons  out,  and  send  them  to  me.  If  I  expel  Shuffles,  I 
shall  lose  about  a  dozen  of  my  students,  and  I  can't 
afford  to  do  that." 

"  But  must  the  neighborhood  suffer  from  his  depre- 
dations?" 

"  I  will  talk  with  the  boy  ;  I  will  keep  him  in  his 
room  for  a  week." 

"  I'm  afraid  the  boy  needs  severer  measures.  If 
this  were  the  first,  or  even  the  third  time,  I  would  not 
say  so  much." 

"My  dear  sir,  what  can  I  do?" 

"  The  boy  needs  strict  discipline.  If  I  were  still  in 
the  navy,  and  had  him  aboard  my  ship,  I  could  make 
a  man  of  him." 

"  I  don't  think  anything  can  be  done." 

"  Something  must  be  done,  Mr.  Baird.  My  garden 
shall  not  be  robbed  with  impunity." 

"  I  will  do  what  I  can,  Mr.  Lowington." 

But  the  owner  of  the  stolen  fruit  was  by  this  time 
satisfied  that  nothing  would  be  done.  The  principal 
of  the  Brockway  Academy  had  not  force  nor  influence 
enough  to  control  such  a  boy  as  Shuffles.  Mr.  Low- 
ington took  his  leave,  determined  to  apply  to  another 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  21 

tribunal  for  the  correction  of  the  evil.  That  night  the 
peach  thieves  were  arrested,  and  put  in  the  lock-up. 
The  next  day  they  were  tried,  found  guilty,  and  sen- 
tenced to  pay  a  fine  and  costs,  which  Mr.  Baird 
promptly  paid.  Within  a  week  Mr.  Lovvington's 
stable  was  burned  to  the  ground.  Shuffles  was  seen 
near  the  building  just  before  the  fire  broke  out ;  but  it 
could  not  be  proved  that  he  was  the  incendiary,  though 
no  one  doubted  the  fact.  He  was  arrested,  but  dis- 
charged on  the  examination. 

"  You  see  how  it  is,  Mr.  Lowington,"  said  the 
principal  of  the  xVcademy,  as  the  two  gentlemen  met 
after  the  examination.  "  It  would  have  been  better 
for  you  if  you  had  not  {prosecuted  the  boy  for  stealing 
the  peaches." 

"  I  don't  think  so,"  replied  Mr.  Lowington.  "  I 
must  do  my  duty,  without  regard  to  consequences  ; 
and  you  will  pardon  me  if  I  say  you  ought  to  do  the 
same." 

"  If  I  expel  the  boy  he  would  burn  the  house  over 
my  head." 

"  Then  you  think  he  burned  my  stable?  " 

"  I  don't  know  ;  it  cannot  be  proved  that  he  did." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  the  fact.  I  have  no  ill  will 
against  the  boy.  I  only  desire  to  protect  myself  and 
my  neighbors  from  his  depredations." 

"  I  think  you  were  very  unfortunate  in  the  method 
you  adopted,  Mr.  Lowington,"  replied  the  principal 
of  the  Academy.     "  It  has  reacted  upon  yourself." 

"  Shall  this  boy  steal  my  fruit  and  burn  my  build- 
ings with  impunity?"  added  Mr.  Lowington,  with 
considerable  warmth. 


32  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  Certainly  not." 

"  I  applied  to  you  for  redress,  Mr.  Baird." 

"  I  told  you  I  would  talk  with  the  boy." 

"  Such  a  reprobate  as  that  needs  something  more 
than  talk." 

"What  would  you  do  with  him,  sir?"  demanded 
jYlr.  Baird,  earnestly. 

"  I  hardly  know.  I  should  certainly  have  expelled 
him  ;  but  that,  while  it  protects  the  Academy,  does  not 
benefit  the  boy." 

"  It  would  only  harden  the  boy." 

"  Very  likely ;  and  his  remaining  will  harden  a 
dozen  more  by  his  influence.  Mr.  Baird,  I  shall  be 
obliged  to  take  my  nephew  out  of  your  institution," 
added  Mr.  Lowington,  seriously. 

"  Take  him  out?  " 

"  I  must,  indeed." 

"  Why  so?  "  asked  Mr.  Baird,  who  was  touched  in 
a  very  tender  place. 

"  Because  I  am  not  willing  to  keep  him  under  the 
influence  of  such  an  example  as  this  Shuffles  sets  for 
his  companions.  As  the  matter  now  stands,  the  young 
rascal  has  more  influence  in  the  Academy  than  you 
have.  You  cannot  manage  him,  and  you  dare  not 
expel  him.  The  boy  knows  this,  and  he  will  not 
leave  his  advantage  unused." 

"  I  hope  you  won't  take  Harry  out  of  the  school," 
said  Mr.  Baird. 

"  I  must." 

"  Others  may  do  the  same." 

"  I  cannot  help  it ;  with  my  view  of  the  matter, 
they  can  hardly  do  otherwise." 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  23 

"  But  you  see,  sir,  what  the  effect  of  this  step 
must  be." 

"  Mr.  Baird,  I  must  be  frank  with  you.  You  have 
declined  to  expel  Shuffles,  while  you  know  that  his 
influence  is  bad.  You  asked  me  what  you  should  do  ; 
and  I  told  you.  Now,  you  prefer  to  retain  Shuffles, 
but  you  must  lose  others.  Permit  me  to  say  that  you 
should  do  your  duty  without  regard  to  consequences." 

"  I  cannot  afford  to  lose  my  scholars." 

"  Your  position  is  a  difficult  one,  I  grant,  Mr.  Baird  ; 
but  without  discipline  you  can  do  nothing  for  yourself 
or  the  boys." 

Mr.  Lowington  went  home,  Harry  was  taken  from 
the  Academy,  and  a  dozen  parents  and  guardians  fol- 
lowed the  example  of  the  advocate  for  discipline.  Mr. 
Baird  was  in  despair.  The  institution  was  falling  to 
pieces  for  the  want  of  discipline.  The  principal  had 
not  the  nerve  to  enforce  order,  even  with  the  limited 
means  within  his  reach.  lie  went  to  see  Mr.  Low- 
ington,  and  begged  him  to  assist  in  stemming  the  tide 
which  was  setting  against  the  Brockway  Academy. 
The  retired  naval  officer  became  deeply  interested  in 
the  subject  of  school  discipline  in  general,  especially 
in  its  connection  with  the  education  of  rich  men's  sons 
given  to  insubordination.  He  pitied  poor  Mr.  Baird 
in  his  perplexities,  for  he  was  a  good  man  and  an 
excellent  teacher. 

In  the  mean  time  Shuffles  grew  worse  instead  of 
better.  Finding  that  he  could  have  his  own  way,  that 
the  principal  was  no  match  for  him,  his  influence  for 
evil  was  stronger  than  Mr.  Baird's  for  good.  The 
worthy  schoolmaster  had  finally  resolved  to  expel  his 


24  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

troublesome  student,  when  Mr.  Lowington  one  day 
surprised  him  by  offering  to  buy  out  the  Academy  at 
a  price  far  exceeding  its  value.  He  gladly  accepted 
the  offer  as  the  best  solution  of  the  problem,  and 
the  naval  officer  became  principal  of  the  Brockway 
Academy. 

Mr.  Lowington  did  not  expel  the  refractory  pupil  at 
once.  He  waited  for  an  overt  act ;  but  Shuffles  found 
the  anaconda  of  authority  tightening  upon  him.  He 
attempted  to  vindicate  himself  before  his  fellow- 
students  by  setting  fire  to  a  haystack  on  the  marsh, 
belonging  to  the  new  principal.  A  searching  investi- 
gation followed,  and  Shuffles  was  convicted.  Mr. 
Lowington  wrote  to  the  boy's  father,  announcing  his 
expulsion.  Mr.  Shuffles  went  to  Brockway  full  of 
wrath,  and  threatened  the  new  head  of  the  institution 
with  the  loss  of  a  large  number  of  his  scholars  if  he 
disgraced  his  son  by  expelling  him.  If  the  boy  had 
done  wrong,  —  and  he  supposed  he  had, —  let  him  be 
talked  to  ;  let  him  be  confined  to  his  room  for  a  day  or 
two  ;  but  he  must  not  be  expelled  ;  it  was  a  disgrace 
to  the  boy. 

The  principal  was  as  firm  as  a  rock,  and  Mr.  Shuf- 
fles was  calm  when  he  found  that  threats  were  una- 
vailing. Mr.  Lowington  pointed  out  to  his  visitor  the 
perils  which  lay  in  the  path  of  his  son.  Mr.  Shuffles 
began  to  be  reasonable,  and  dined  with  the  principal. 
A  long  and  earnest  consideration  of  the  whole  matter 
took  place  over  the  dessert.  The  fiat  of  expulsion  was 
revoked,  and  young  Shuffles  was  turned  over  to  the 
ex-naval  officer,  with  full  power  to  discipline  him  as 
he  thought  best.     Mr.  Lowington  had  converted  the 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  25 

father,  and  he  hoped  he  should  be  able  to  convert 
the  son. 

After  dinner,  Mr.  Shuffles  went  down  the  bay  with 
his  host  in  the  yacht.  On  the  way  they  passed  the 
school  ship  Massachusetts,  to  which  boys  are  sentenced 
by  the  courts  for  crime  and  vagrancy,  and  on  board  of 
which  they  are  disciplined  and  educated.  Mr.  Low- 
ington  explained  the  institution  to  his  guest. 

"  An  excellent  idea,"  said  Mr.  Shuffles. 

"  It  is  just  the  place  for  your  son,"  replied  Mr. 
Lowington. 

"  But  it  is  for  criminals." 

"  Very  true." 

"  Robert  is  not  a  criminal." 

"  If  he  is  not  now,  he  soon  will  be,  if  he  continues 
in  his  present  course.  If  I  had  him  on  shipboard,  I 
could  make  a  man  of  him." 

"  Then  I  wish  you  had  him  on  shipboard." 

"  Perhaps  I  may  yet,"  replied  the  principal,  with  a 
smile.  "  I  did  not  purchase  the  Academy  with  the 
intention  of  becoming  a  pedagogue,  in  the  ordinary 
sense  of  the  word.  I  have  no  intention  of  remaining 
in  it." 

"  I  hope  you  will." 

"  I  have  been  thinking  of  fitting  up  a  vessel  like  the 
school  ship,  that  rich  men's  sons  may  have  the  benefit 
of  such  an  institution  without  the  necessity  of  com- 
mitting a  crime.  I  could  do  more  for  the  boys  in 
a  month  on  board  ship  than  I  could  in  a  year  at 
Brockway." 

This  was  the  first  mention  which  Mr.  Lowington 
made  of  his  plan,  though  he  had  been  considering 
3 


26  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

it  for  several  weeks.  Mr.  Shuffles  hoped  that  this 
idea  of  a  nautical  academy  would  be  reduced  to  prac- 
tice ;  for  he  now  felt  that  it  was  just  what  his  son 
needed.  The  project  was  discussed  during  the  rest  of 
the  trip. 

The  history  of  the  scheme,  from  its  inception,  need 
not  be  followed  in  detail.  Many  persons  were  con- 
sulted in  regard  to  it ;  there  were  plenty  to  approve, 
and  plenty  to  disapprove  ;  but  in  October  the  keel  of 
a  four  hundred  ton  ship  was  laid  down.  The  object 
of  this  marine  institution  was  thoroughly  explained, 
and  before  the  ship  was  ready  for  launching  there 
were  applications  for  every  berth  on  board  of  her. 

The  idea  was  exceedingly  popular  among  the  boys, 
all  of  whom  were  anxious  to  be  students  on  board, 
especially  as  it  was  already  hinted  that  the  ship  would 
visit  Europe.  To  parents  it  held  out  for  their  sons  all 
the  benefits  of  a  sea  voyage,  with  few  of  its  disad- 
vantages. It  would  furnish  healthy  exercise  and  a 
vigorous  constitution  to  its  pupils. 

In  March  of  the  following  year  the  ship  was  at 
anchor  in  Brockway  harbor,  ready  to  receive  her 
juvenile  crew. 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  2j 


CHAPTER    II. 


THE    YOUNG    AMERICA. 


WITH  Mr.  Lowington,  the  Academy  Ship,  which 
was  the  name  he  usually  applied  to  the  idea 
he  had  matured,  and  thus  far  carried  into  effect,  was 
not  a  speculation  ;  he  did  not  intend  to  sec  how  much 
money  could  be  made  by  the  scheme.  It  was  an  ex- 
periment in  the  education  of  rich  men's  sons,  for  only 
rich  men  could  pay  for  scholarships  in  such  an  expen- 
sive institution. 

The  Brockway  Academy  was  to  be  continued,  under 
the  management  of  a  board  of  trustees.  An  accom- 
plished teacher  had  been  selected  by  Mr.  Lowington, 
and  the  school,  under  its  present  administration,  was 
in  a  highly  prosperous  condition.  Only  ten  of  its 
pupils  had  been  transferred  to  the  Academy  Ship,  for 
it  required  no  little  nerve  on  the  part  of  parents  to 
send  their  sons  to  school  on  the  broad  ocean,  to  battle 
with  the  elements,  to  endure  the  storms  of  the  Atlantic, 
and  to  undergo  the  hardships  which  tender  mothers 
supposed  to  be  inseparably  connected  with  a  life  on 
shipboard. 

For  six  months  Mr.  Lowington  had  studied  upon 
his  plan,  and  it  was  hardly  matured  when  the  new 
ship  came  to   anchor  in   Brockway  harbor.     During 


28  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

this  period  he  had  visited  the  principal  cities  of  the 
Northern  States,  those  of  the  southern  section  being 
closed  against  his  operations  by  the  war  of  the  rebel- 
lion, then  raging  at  the  height  of  its  fury.  He  had 
interested  his  friends  in  his  bold  enterprise,  and  boys 
with  whom  the  experiment  was  to  be  inaugurated  were 
gathered  from  all  parts  of  the  country. 

The  securing  of  the  requisite  number  of  pupils  was 
the  first  success,  and  what  he  had  regarded  as  the 
most  difficult  part  of  the  enterprise.  More  than  half 
of  them  had  been  obtained  before  it  was  deemed 
prudent  to  lay  the  keel  of  the  ship.  The  details  of 
the  plan  had  been  carefully  considered  during  the 
winter,  and  when  the  ship  was  moored  at  Brockwa}T, 
the  organization  of  the  school,  its  rules  and  regula- 
tions, had  all  been  written  out.  The  boys  began  to 
arrive  about  the  first  of  March,  and  by  the  first  of  April 
all  of  them,  eighty-seven  in  number,  were  on  board. 

Mr.  Lowington  was  naturally  very  anxious  for  the 
success  of  his  experiment,  and  for  months  he  had 
labored  with  unceasing  diligence  in  perfecting  his 
plan,  and  carrying  it  into  operation.  In  this  occu- 
pation he  had  found  the  activity  he  needed  ;  and  he 
may  not  be  blamed  for  believing,  all  the  time,  that  he 
was  laboring  for  his  country  and  his  race. 

If  it  has  been  inferred  from  what  has  been  said  of 
Mr.  Lowington,  of  his  domestic  afflictions,  and  of  his 
views  on  the  subject  of  discipline,  that  he  was  an  aus- 
tere, cold,  and  unsympathizing  man,  a  wrong  impres- 
sion has  been  conveyed.  The  boys  of  the  Brockway 
Academy,  when  they  came  to  know  him,  loved  him  ar 
much  as  they  respected   him.     He  was  not  the  man 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  29 

needlessly  to  abridge  the  harmless  enjoyment  of  youth, 
or  to  repress  its  innocent  hilarity.  He  watched  the 
sports  of  the  students  with  interest  and  pleasure,  and 
encouraged  them  by  all  the  means  in  his  power.  He 
was  fond  of  humor,  enjoyed  a  harmless  joke,  and  had 
a  keen  appreciation  of  juvenile  wit.  He  was  a  good 
companion  for  the  boys,  and  when  they  understood 
him,  he  was  always  welcome  to  the  play-ground. 

The  new  ship  had  been  duly  christened  Young 
America  at  the  launching,  by  Miss  Josey  Martyn  —  a 
name  which  was  rapturously  applauded  by  the  boys. 
She  was  one  hundred  and  eighteen  feet  in  length,  and 
of  about  four  hundred  tons  burden.  She  had  been 
built  as  strong  as  wood,  iron,  and  copper  could  make 

O  7  1  XI 

her.  For  a  ship,  she  was  small,  which  permitted  her 
to  be  light  SiDarred,  so  that  her  juvenile  crew  could 
handle  her  with  the  more  ease.  She  had  a  flush  deck  ; 
that  is,  it  was  unbroken  from  stem  to  stern.  There 
was  no  cabin,  poop,  camboose,  or  other  house  on 
deck,  and  the  eye  had  a  clean  range  over  the  whole 
length  of  her.  There  was  a  skylight  between  the  fore 
and  the  main  mast,  and  another  between  the  main  and 
mizzen  masts,  to  afford  light  and  air  to  the  apartments 
below.  There  were  three  openings  in  the  deck  by 
which  entrance  could  be  obtained  to  the  interior  of  the 
ship  :  the  fore  hatch,  the  main  hatch,  and  the  com- 
panion-way, the  two  former  being  used  by  the  crew, 
and  the  latter  by  the  officers. 

The  between-decks,  which  is  the  space  included 
between  the  upper  and  the  lower  deck,  was  fitted  up 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  officers  and  crew. 
Descending  by   the    companion-way  —  which   in   the 

3* 


30  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

Young  America  extended  athwartships  —  on  the  right, 
at  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  was  the  officers'  cabin,  occu- 
pying the  part  of  the  ship  nearest  to  the  stern.  This 
apartment  was  twenty-eight  feet  long,  by  fifteen  in 
breadth  at  the  widest  part,  with  four  state  rooms  on 
each  side.  The  mizzen  mast  passed  up  through  the 
middle  of  it.  This  cabin  was  richly  but  plainly  fitted 
up,  and  was  furnished  well  enough  for  a  drawing- 
room  on  shore.  It  was  for  the  use  of  the  juvenile 
officers  of  the  ship,  fifteen  in  number,  who  were  to 
hold  their  positions  as  rewards  of  merit.  The  captain 
had  a  room  to  himself,  while  each  of  the  other  apart- 
ments was  to  accommodate  two  officers. 

On  the  left  of  the  companion-way,  descending  the 
stairs,  was  the  "  old  folks'  cabin,"  as  it  was  called  by 
the  students.  It  was  in  the  locality  corresponding  to 
that  occupied  by  the  ward  room  of  a  man-of-war. 
Though  the  after  cabin  is  the  place  of  honor  on  board 
a  ship,  Mr.  Lowington  had  selected  the  ward  room  for 
himself  and  the  teachers,  in  preference  to  the  after 
cabin,  because  it  was  next  to  the  steerage,  which  was 
occupied  by  the  larger  portion  of  the  pupils,  and 
because  the  form  of  the  ship  did  not  contract  the  di- 
mensions of  the  state  rooms.  This  cabin  was  twenty- 
two  feet  long  and  fifteen  feet  wide,  with  no  waste  room, 
as  in  the  after  cabin,  caused  by  the  rounding  in  of  the 
ship's  counter.  On  the  sides  were  five  state  rooms, 
besides  a  pantry  for  the  steward,  and  a  dispensary  for 
the  surgeon. 

The  forward  room  on  the  starboard  side  was  occu- 
pied by  Mr.  Lowington  alone  ;  the  next  on  the  same 
side  by  the   chaplain   and   doctor ;    and   each  of  the 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT. 


3* 


three  on  the  port  side  by  two  of  the  teachers.  This 
cabin  was  elegantly  finished  and  furnished,  and  the 
professors  were  delighted  with  its  cheerful  and  pleasant 
aspect. 

From  the  main  cabin,  as  that  of  the  "  faculty  "  was 
called,  were  two  doors,  opening  into  the  steerage, 
fifty-two  feet  in  length  by  fifteen  feet  in  width  of  clear 
space  between  the  berths,  which  diminished  to  nine 
feet  abreast  of  the  foremast.  This  apartment  was 
eight  feet  high,  and  was  lighted  in  part  by  a  large 
skylight  midway  between  the  fore  and  main  mast,  and 
partly  by  bull's  eyes  in  the  side  of  the  ship.  There 
were  seventy-two  berths,  placed  in  twelve  rooms, 
opening  from  passage-ways,  which  extended  athwart- 
ships  from  the  main  steerage,  and  were  lighted  by  the 
bull's  eyes.  There  were  no  doors  to  these  dormitories, 
each  of  which  contained  six  berths,  in  two  tiers  of 
three  each.  It  was  intended  that  the  six  boys  occupy- 
ing one  of  these  rooms  should  form  a  mess.  Between 
the  gangways,  or  passages,  were  mess  tables,  which 
could  be  swung  up  against  the  partition  when  not 
in  use. 

The  steerage  was  neatly  and  tastefully  fitted  up,  and 
furnished,  though  not  so  elegantly  as  the  cabins.  It 
was  to  be  the  school  room,  as  well  as  the  parlor  and 
dining  room  of  the  boys,  and  it  would  compare  favor- 
ably with  such  apartments  in  well-ordered  academies 
on  shore.  There  was  plenty  of  shelves,  pouches,  and 
lockers,  under  the  lower  berths,  and  beneath  the  bull's 
eyes  at  the  head  of  the  main  gangways,  for  clothing 
and  books,  and  each  boy  had  a  place  for  every  article 
which  the  regulations  allowed  him  to  possess. 


32  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

Forward  of  the  foremast  there  were  two  laige 
state  rooms  ;  that  on  the  starboard  side  having  four 
berths,  for  the  boatswain,  carpenter,  sailmaker,  and 
head  steward ;  and  the  one  on  the  port  side  with  six, 
for  the  two  cooks  and  the  four  under  stewards,  all  of 
whom  were  men  skilful  and  experienced  in  their  sev- 
eral departments.  Forward  of  these  was  the  kitchen, 
from  which  opened  the  lamp  room,  a  triangular  closet 
in  the  bow  of  the  ship.  Mr.  Lowington  had  taken 
the  idea  of  locating  the  cooking  apartment  in  the 
extreme  forward  part  of  the  vessel  from  the  Victoria 
and  Albert,  the  steam  yacht  of  the  Queen  of  England. 

The  hold  beneath  the  berth  deck  contained  the  water 
tanks,  bread  room,  chain  lockers,  and  a  multitude  of 
store  rooms  for  provisions,  clothing,  and  supplies  of 
every  description  needed  on  board  during  a  long 
voyage. 

The  Young  America  was  to  be  officered  and  manned 
by  the  students.  They  were  to  work  the  ship,  to  make 
and  take  in  sail,  to  reef,  steer,  and  wash  down  decks, 
a*,  well  as  study  and  recite  their  lessons.  They  were 
to  go  aloft,  stand  watch,  man  the  capstan,  pull  the 
boats  ;  in  short,  to  do  everything  required  of  seamen 
on  board  a  ship.  Mr.  Lowington  was  to  lure  them 
into  the  belief,  while  they  were  hauling  tacks  and 
sheets,  halyards  and  braces,  that  they  were  not  at 
work,  but  at  play.  The  labor  required  of  them  was 
an  essential  element  in  the  plan,  by  which  the  boys 
were  to  obtain  the  necessary  physical  exercise,  and  the 
discipline  they  so  much  needed. 

By  the  first  of  April  the  last  of  the  students  had 
reported  to  the  principal  on  board,  and  the  professors, 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  33 

as  the  boys  insisted  upon  calling  them,  had  taken  pos- 
session of  their  state  rooms.  Though  some  of  the 
pupils  had  been  on  board  nearly  a  month,  the  organi- 
zation of  the  ship  had  not  been  commenced ;  but 
classes  had  been  formed  in  some  of  the  studies,  by 
the  teachers,  and  the  pupils  recited  every  day.  The 
boatswain  had  instructed  the  boys  in  rowing,  and  some 
temporary  regulations  had  been  adopted  for  the  eating 
and  sleeping  departments.  But  not  a  boy  had  been 
allowed  to  go  aloft,  and  nothing  more  than  ordinary 
school  discipline  had  been  attempted. 

The  boys,  as  boys  always  are,  were  impatient  at  this 
delay.  They  wanted  to  be  bounding  over  the  ocean  — 
to  be  on  their  way  to  some  foreign  port.  They  were 
anxious  to  work,  to  climb  the  rigging,  and  stand  at 
the  wheel.  As  yet  they  knew  very  little  of  the  pur- 
poses of  the  principal,  and  had  but  a  faint  perception 
of  the  life  they  were  to  lead  in  the  Academy  Ship. 
It  was  understood  that  the  officers  were  to  be  selected 
for  their  merit,  and  that  the  ship,  some  time  or  other, 
was  to  cross  the  ocean  ;  but  beyond  this,  all  was  dark- 
ness and  uncertainty. 

"  To-morrow  will  be  the  first  day  of  April,"  said 
George  Wilton,  as  he  walked  the  deck  of  the  Young 
America  with  Richard  Carnes,  a  dignified  young  gen- 
tleman of  seventeen.  "  Mr.  Lowington  said  we  should 
go  to  work  on  that  day." 

"  If  he  said  so,  then  of  course  we  shall  go  to  work," 
replied  Carnes. 

"  I'm  tired  of  waiting,"  added  Wilton.  "  I  think 
this  is  a  stupid  kind  of  life.  We  are  not  even  tied  to 
a  bell  rope  here." 


34  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  You  will  get  discipline  enough  as  soon  as  the  crew 
are  organized." 

"  I  suppose  we  shall.  Do  you  think  we  shall  go  to 
sea  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  Go  to  sea  to-morrow ! "  exclaimed  Carnes. 

"  Shuffles  said  so." 

"  How  can  we  go  to  sea  to-morrow?  The  crew 
don't  know  the  mainmast  from  a  handspike.  They 
couldn't  do  anything  with  the  ship  now ;  they  don't 
know  the  ropes." 

"  You  do,  Carnes." 

"  Well,  I  know  something  about  a  ship,"  replied  the 
dignified  young  gentleman,  who  had  made  one  voyage 
up  the  Mediterranean  with  his  uncle. 

"  I  was  pretty  sure  we  should  get  out  into  blue 
water  by  to-morrow." 

"  Nonsense  !  " 

"  Shuffles  said  so." 

"  He  is  mistaken." 

•  What  are  we  going  to  do  ?  " 

u  I  don't  know ;  I'm  content  to  wait  till  orders 
come." 

UI  don't  want  to  wait  any  longer,"  added  Wilton. 

"What  are  you  talking  about,  fellows?"  asked 
Shuffles,  joining  them,  as  they  walked  forward. 

"  Didn't  you  say  we  were  going  to  sea  to-morrow, 
Shuffles?"  asked  Wilton. 

"  Of  course  we  are." 

"  Who  says  so?  "  demanded  Carnes. 

"  All  the  fellows  say  so." 

"  It  can't  be  true." 

"  Why  not?  We  are  not  going  to  stay  here  forever." 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  35 

"  In  my  opinion,  we  shall  stay  here  some  weeks,  if 
not  some  months,"  added  Carnes. 

"What  for?" 

"  To  pursue  our  studies,  in  the  first  place,  and  to 
learn  our  duty  as  seamen,  in  the  second." 

"  I  don't  believe  I  shall  stay  here  a  great  while 
longer,"  said  Shuffles,  with  evident  disgust.  "  There's 
no  fun  lying  here." 

"  You  can't  help  yourself,"  added  Wilton. 

"  Perhaps  I  can't,  but  I  can  try,"  said  Shuffles,  as 
he  glanced  towards  the  shore. 

"All  hands  ahoy!  "  shouted  Peaks,  the  boatswain, 
as  his  shrill  whistle  rang  through  the  ship. 

The  boys  had  been  taught  the  meaning  of  this  call, 
and  they  gathered  in'  the  waist,  eager  to  know  what 
was  to  be   required   of  them. 

Mr.  Lowington  stood  on  the  raised  hatch  over  the 
main  scuttle,  where  all  the  students  could  see  him.  It 
was  evident  that  he  had  some  announcement  to  make, 
especially  as  the  following  day  had  been  assigned 
for  organizing  the  ship's  company.  The  boys  were 
silent,  and  their  faces  betrayed  the  curiosity  which 
they  felt. 

"  Young  gentleman,"  the  principal  began,  "  this 
ship  wiil   go   into  commission  to-morrow." 

"  Don't  know  what  you  mean,  sir,"  said  Paul  Ken- 
dall, as  Mr.  Lowington  paused  to  observe  the  effect  of 
his  announcement. 

"  I  did  not  suppdse  that  many  of  you  would  under- 
stand the  expression.  In  the  navy,  a  ship  js  said  to 
go  into  commission  when  the  captain  takes  his  place 
on  board,  and  the  crew  are  organized  for  duty.    When 


36  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

this  takes  place,  the  ensign  is  hoisted.  To-morrow, 
at  twelve  o'clock,  we  shall  display  the  colors  at  the 
peak.  With  us,  going  into  commission  will  only  mean 
the  organization  of  our  school.  From  that  time,  we 
shall  observe  the  discipline  of  a  man-of-war,  so  far  as 
the  ship  and  crew  are  concerned." 

"  Shall  we  go  to  sea  then?"  asked  Wilton. 

"  I  think  not,"  replied  Mr.  Lowington,  laughing. 
"  We  shall  not  leave  the  harbor  till  every  officer  and 
seaman  knows  his  duty.  You  shall  have  enough  to 
do  to-morrow,  young  gentlemen.  " 

"  When  shall  we  be  able  to  go  to  sea?" 

"  I  don't  know.  There  are  many  ropes  in  the 
ship,  and  you  have  a  great  deal  to  learn  before  I 
shall  be  willing  to  trust  you  with  the  anchor  at  the 
cat-head." 

"  What  is  the  cat-head,  sir?  "  asked  Kendall. 

"  Do  you  wish  to  go  to  sea  without  knowing  what 
the  cat-head  is?"  replied  the  principal.  "You  shall 
know  in  due  time.  To-morrow  we  shall  select  the 
officers,  fifteen  in  number,  who  are  to  occupy  the  after 
cabin." 

This  announcement  created  a  decided  sensation 
among  the  eighty-seven  boys  gathered  in  the  waist, 
for  the  subject  had  been  full  of  interest  to  them.  The 
after  cabin  had  thus  far  been  a  sealed  book ;  the  door 
was  locked,  and  they  had  not  even  seen  the  inside  of 
the  apartment.  They  were  curious  jto  visit  this  cabin, 
and  to  know  who  were  tq  occupy  it. 

"  After  the  organization,  of  the  school,  it  is  my  inten- 
tion to  give  these  offices  to  those  who  obtain  the  highest 
number  of  merit  marks,  which  will  be  given  for  good 


YOtJNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  37 

conduct,  good  lessons,  and  progress  in  seamanship. 
The  best  boy^  who  is  at  the  same  time  the  best  scholar 
and  the  best  seaman,  shall  be  captain.  We  have  no 
marks  now  by  which  to  make  the  selection,  and  I 
intend  to  have  you  elect  him  the  first  time,  reserving 
to  myself  the  right  to  veto  your  choice  if  it  is  obviously 
an  improper  one." 

As  Mr.  Lowington  uttered  this  last  remark,  he 
glanced,  perhaps  unconsciously,  at  Shuffles,  who 
stood  directly  in  front  of  him; 

"  Young  gentlemen,  the  ballot  Will  take  place  to- 
morrow morning,  at  nine  o'clock.  I  have  given  you 
this  notice,  that  yon  may  be  able  to  consider  the  mat- 
ter, and,  if  you  choose,  to  make  nominations  for  the 
several  offices,"  continued  the  principal. 

"  What  are  the  offices,  sir  ?  " 

"  The  first  and  most  important  one,  of  course,  is  the 
captain.  The  others  are  four  lieutenants,  four  masters, 
two  pursers,  and  four  midshipmen." 

"  What  are  they  to  do  ?  "  asked  Kendall. 

"  I  will  not  explain  their  duties  now ;  it  would 
require  too  much  time.  I  mentioned  them  in  the 
order  of  their  importance*  Now,  young  gentlemen, 
you  should  select  your  candidates  for  these  offices  by 
merit,  not  by  favor.  I  am  aware  that  a  few  of  you 
have  been  to  sea,  but  probably  none  of  you  are  com- 
petent to  handle  a  ship  ;  and  your  choice  should  be 
based  mainly  on  good  character  and  good  conduct. 
I  hope  I  shall  be  able  to  approve  the  choice  you  may 
make.     You  are  dismissed  now." 

"  Three  cheers  for  the  principal !  "  shouted  one  of 
the  boys. 

4 


38  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  Silence,  young  gentleman  !  Let  me  say  now,  that 
no  expressions  of  approbation  or  disapprobation  are  to 
be  allowed." 

The  boys  separated  into  groups,  and  immediately 
gave  their  attention  to  the  important  subject  suggested 
to  them  by  Mr.  Lowington.  It  must  be  acknowledged 
that  violent  symptoms  of  "log-rolling"  began  to  be 
exhibited.  There  were  fifty,  if  not  eighty-seven  young 
men  who  wished  to  be  captain,  and  sit  at  the  head  of 
the  table  in  the  after  cabin.  Some  of  them  went 
down  into  the  steerage,  and  in  five  minutes  there  was 
a  confused  jabbering  in  every  part  of  the  ship. 

"  For  whom  shall  you  vote,  Wilton  ?  "  asked  Shuf- 
fles, in  a  group  of  half  a  dozen  which  had  gathered 
around  one  of  the  mess  tables. 

UI  don't  know;  whom  do  you  go  for?"  replied 
Wilton. 

"  I  rather  think  I  shall  go  for  Bob  Shuffles.  In  my 
opinion,  he  is  the  best  fellow  on  board,"  replied  the 
owner  of  that  name. 

"  That's  modest,"  laughed  Wilton. 

u  Do  you  know  of  any  fellow  that  would  make  a 
better  captain   than   I   should?" 

"  You  don't  know  the  first  thing  about  a  ship." 

"What  odds  does  that  make?  I  can  learn  as  fast 
as  anybody  else." 

"  Do  you  expect  every  fellow  to  vote  for  himself?  " 
asked  Howe,  another  of  the  group. 

"  Of  course  I  don't ;  I  expect  them  to  vote  for  me," 
answered  Shuffles,  with  great  good-nature. 

"  You  are  rather  cheeky,  Shuffles." 

"  What's  the  use  of  mincing  the  matter?     Here  we 


YOUNG    AMERICA    AFLOAT.  ~$ 

are,  half  a  dozen  of  the  best  fellows  in  the  ship.  We 
can't  all  be  captain ;  but  one  of  us  can  be  just  as  well 
as  not." 

"  That's  so,"  added  Howe,  approvingly.  "  But  who 
shall  that  one  be  ?  " 

"  I  am  the  one,  without  a  doubt,"  said  Shuffles. 

"  I  don't  see  it,"  interposed  Monroe,  shaking  his 
head ;  and  he  was  the  young  gentleman  who  had 
assisted  the  aspirant  for  the  captaincy  to  rob  Mr. 
Lowington's  favorite  peach  tree. 

u  What  have  you  got  to  say  about  it,  Ike  Monroe? 
Do  you  expect  us  to  go  for  you  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  say  so." 

(i  That's  what  you  meant." 

"  I've  just  as  much  right  to  the  place  as  you  have, 
Bob  Shuffles." 

"  Do  you  think  you  could  make  the  fellows  stand 
round  as  I  can?  But  hold  on;  fellows,  don't  let  us 
fight  about  it.  We  are  just  the  best  six  fellows 
on  board,  and  if  we  have  a  mind  to  do  so,  we 
can  have  this  thing  all  our  own  way,"  continued 
Shuffles. 

"  I  don't  see  how,"  said  Philip  Sanborn. 

"  Don't  you  know  how  the  politicians  manage  these 
things?" 

"  I  don't." 

"  I'll  tell  you,  then." 

"  But  the  principal  said  we  must  go  according  to 
merit,  and  elect  the  fellows  who  were  the  best  fitted 
for  the  offices,"  interposed  Howe. 

"  Exactly  so  ;  that's  just  what  we  are  going  to  do. 
I'm   going   to   be  captain ;    can  you    tell   me   of  any 


40  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

better  fellow  for  the  place  ?  "  demanded  Shuffles,  who, 
putting  aside  the  jesting  manner  in  which  he  had 
commenced  the  discussion,  now  assumed  an  earnest 
and  impudent  tone. 

"  Didn't  you  hear  what  Lowington  said  when  he 
wound  up  his  speech  ?  "  asked  Wilton. 

"What?" 

"  About  vetoing  our  choice  if  it  was  not  a  propel 
one." 

"  What  of  it  ?  "  asked  Shuffles,  innocently. 

"  Don't  you  think  he  would  veto  you?" 

"  Me  !  Not  he  !  Lowington  knows  that  I'm  smart ; 
I  was  too  smart  for  him  once,  and  he  knows  it.  He 
won't  veto  me.  We  have  been  the  best  of  friends 
lately." 

"  I  don't  believe  he'll  have  a  chance  to  veto  you," 
said  Wilton. 

"  What  do  you  mean?  " 

"  I  don't  believe  you  will  be  elected." 

"  I  know  I  shall,  if  we  manage  it  right.  Let  us 
look  at  it,"  continued  Shuffles,  as  he  took  a  pencil 
from  his  pocket.     "Got  a  piece  of  paper?" 

Monroe  gave  him  a  piece  of  paper,  and  the  wire- 
puller began  to  make  his  calculations. 

"  Eighty-seven  votes,"  said  he,  writing  the  number 
on  the  paper.  "  Necessary  to  a  choice,  forty-four. 
Here  are  six  votes  to  start  with." 

"  For  whom  ?  "  asked  Monroe. 

"  For  me,  for  captain,  first,  and  for  each  of  the 
others  for  whatever  place  he  wants  ;  say  for  Wilton 
for  first  lieutenant ;    Howe  for   second,   Sanborn    for 


YOUNG    AMERICA   AFLOAT.  4./ 

third,  Monroe  for  fourth,  and  Adler  for  first  master. 
What  do  you  say  to  that,  fellows  ?  " 

As  with  the  political  "  slate,"  there  was  some  difTer- 
ence  of  opinion  in  regard  to  the  minor  officers,  even 
after  Shuffles'  claim  to  the  captaincy  had  been  con- 
ceded. But  this  disposition  of  the  spoils  was  finally 
agreed  to. 

"  Now  we  want  thirty-eight  more  votes,"  Shuffles 
proceeded. 

"Just  so;  and  you  might  as  well  attempt  to  jump 
over  the  main  royal  yard  as  to  get  them,"  added  Adler, 
who,  having  been  assigned  to  the  office  lowest  in  rank, 
tvas  least  satisfied  with  the  "  slate. " 

"  Hold  on  ;  we  haven't  done  yet.  There  are  nine 
more  offices.  Now  we  will  pick  out  some  good  fel- 
low, that  will  work  for  us,  for  each  of  these  places  ; 
then  we  will  promise  him  six  votes  if  he  will  go  our 
ticket,  and  do  what  he  can  for  us." 

"  That  will  give  us  only  fifteen  votes,"  said  Adler. 

"  I  think  that  will  be  doing  very  well  to  start  with. 
Then  you  five  fellows  can  electioneer  for  me,  and  I'll 
do  the  same  for  you." 

"  I  think  we  have  made  one  mistake,"  added  San- 
born. "  Most  of  the  fellows  will  go  for  Games  for 
captain.  He  is  an  old  salt,  and  has  more  influence 
than  any  other  student  in  the  ship.  We  ought  to  offer 
him  some  place." 

"  Make  him  purser,  if  you  like,"  said  Shuffles,  con- 
temptuously. 

"  That  WT>n't  go  down.     Make  him  first  lieutenant." 

"  And  shove  me   out  ?  "  demanded  Wilton,  indig- 
nantly.    "  I  don't  see  it !  " 
4* 


42  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 


a 


Nor  I,"  added  Shuffles.  "  I  won't  vote  for  Carries, 
any  how.     He's  a  snob  and  a  flunky." 

It  was  useless  to  resist  the  fiat  of  the  chief  wire- 
puller ;  the  ticket  remained  as  it  had  been  originally 
prepared ;  and  the  young  gentlemen  proceeded  to 
distribute  the  rest  of  the  offices. 


YOUNG    AMERICA   AFLOAT.  43 


CHAPTER   III. 

THE    ENSIGN    AT    THE    PEAK. 

THE  students  on  board  of  the  Young  America 
were  between  the  ages  of  fourteen  and  seven- 
teen. By  the  regulations,  no  boy  under  fourteen  or 
over  seventeen  could  be  admitted,  and  they  averaged 
about  fifteen.  They  had,  therefore,  reached  the  years 
of  discretion.  Among  them  were  a  great  many  who 
were  disposed  to  be  wild  boys,  and  not  a  few  who 
had  found  it  difficult  to  remain  in  similar  institutions 
on  shore.  They  were  not  criminal  or  depraved,  but 
simply  wild  ;  with  a  tendency  to  break  through  reason- 
able restraint ;  with  a  taste  for  mad  pranks,  and  a  con- 
tempt for  authority. 

Of  this  class,  who  were  a  trial  and  a  torment  to  the 
teachers  of  the  ordinary  high  schools  and  academies, 
the  larger  proportion  would  have  scorned  to  steal,  or 
commit  any  wanton  outrage  upon  the  persons  or  prop- 
erty of  others.  There  were  many  high-minded,  noble- 
hearted  young  men,  who  could  not  tamely  submit  to 
authority,  and  were  prone  to  insubordination,  and 
who  only  needed  the  right  kind  of  discipline  to  make 
them  earnest  and  faithful  men  and  useful  citizens. 
There  were  few,  if  any,  dunces  or  blockheads  among 
them,  for  a  life  on  shipboard  had  no  attractions  for 


44  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

such  boys.  They  were,  almost  without  an  exception, 
wide-awake,  bold,  daring  fellows,  who  had  a  taste  for 
stirring  events ;  fellows  who  wanted  to  climb  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  visit  the  North  Pole,  and  explore 
the  Mammoth  Cave.  They  were  full  of  fun  and  mis- 
chief, and  it  would  have  been  easy  at  any  time  to  get 
up  a  party  among  them  to  march  the  principal's  cow 
into  the  parlor  of  the  Academy  ;  to  climb  to  the  belfry 
on  a  winter's  night,  and  fill  the  inverted  bell  with 
water,  where  it  would  freeze  solid  before  morning  ;  or 
to  convey  the  occupants  of  the  hen-coop  to  the  recita- 
tion room. 

It  was  Mr.  Lowington's  task  to  repress  the  mischief 
in  these  boys,  to  keep  them  occupied  with  work  and 
play,  and  to  develop  their  moral  and  mental  capaci- 
ties. He  had  doubtless  taken  a  heavy  load  upon  him- 
self, but  he  felt  that  he  was  to  labor  for  his  race  and 
his  country.  At  least  one  half  of  his  students  were 
too  wild  to  attend  the  ordinary  public  or  private 
schools,  or  to  profit  by  them  if  admitted.  With  such 
material,  his  work  could  not  be  a  sinecure.  But  he 
had  a  taste  for  it,  and  he  gave  his  whole  heart  and 
soul  to  the  performance  of  his  duties. 

When  the  students  were  gathered  on  board  the 
Young  America,  they  were  mostly  strangers  to  him, 
though  he  had  communicated  personally  or  by  letter 
with  the  parents  of  all  of  them.  He  had  read  and 
listened  to  the  stories  of  their  pranks  and  peccadilloes, 
but  when  they  came  together,  he  hardly  knew  one 
from  another,  and  was  not  prejudiced  against  any 
individual  by  the  terrible  accounts  of  him  related  -  by 
parents,  guardians,  or  teachers.     He  purposed  to  give 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  45 

them  the  opportunity  to  select  their  own  officers  at 
first,  in  order  to  win  a  more  cheerful  obedience  from 
them,  and  because  the  students  knew  each  other  better 
than  he  knew  them. 

After  the  announcement  of  the  principal  that  the 
voting  would  commence  on  the  following  morning, 
nothing  else  was  talked  of  on  board.  The  qualifica- 
tions of  various  members  of  the  school  were  discussed 
by  groups  of  excited  -voters  ;  and  we  must  do  them 
the  justice  to  say  that  most  of  them  considered  the 
matter  unselfishly  and  with  a  single  eye  to  the  public 
good.  Perhaps  it  is  a  little  remarkable  that  not  a 
single  student,  outside  of  the  little  group  of  wire- 
pullers that  gathered  in  the  steerage,  thought  of  Shuf- 
fles for  the  position  of  captain  ;  and  the  "  log-rollers" 
were  likely  to  have  up-hill  work  in  electing  themselves 
to  the  six  principal  offices.  But  they  went  to  work, 
and  labored  very  diligently  till  bed-time  in  carrying 
their  point. 

While  none  thought  of  Shuffles  in  connection  with 
the  highest  position,  many  mentioned  the  dignified 
young  gentleman,  who  had  made  one  voyage  up  the 
Mediterranean  —  Richard  Carnes.  He  had  been  on 
board  a  fortnight,  and  had  won  and  retained  the  re- 
spect of  all  his  companions. 

Before  the  little  band  of  wire-pullers  in  the  steerage 
had  made  up  the  "  slate "  to  suit  their  minds,  the 
crowd  on  deck  had  agreed  upon  Richard  Carnes  for 
captain,  and  were  busy  in  discussing  the  qualifica- 
tions of  others  for  the  subordinate  offices,  when  the 
log-rollers  separated,  and  went  to  work  upon  their 
mission. 


46  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  How  are  you  going  to  vote  for  captain,  Kendall?" 
said  Wilton,  stepping  up  to  the  young  gentleman  who 
had  proposed  so  many  questions  to  the  principal,  and 
who  had  been  so  honest  in  confessing  his  ignorance 
of  nautical  matters. 

"  For  Carnes,  of  course." 

"  Humph  !  I  wouldn't  vote  for  him,"  sneered  the 
wire-puller. 

"Why  not?" 

"  He's  too  stiff;  he'll  put  on  airs,  and  be  a  tyrant 
over  us." 

"  No,  he  won't." 

"  You  see  if  he  don't.  I  say,  Kendall,  are  you  up 
for  any  office?  "  continued  Wilton,  with  a  certain  ap- 
pearance of  slyness  which  the  straightforward  young 
gentleman  did  not  exactly  like. 

"Am  I?" 

"  Yes,  you.  Wouldn't  you  like  a  room  in  the  after 
cabin?" 

"  Perhaps  I  would,"  answered  Kendall,  thought- 
fully ;  and  the  place  was  certainly  very  inviting  to 
him. 

"  They  say  the  after  cabin  is  a  perfect  little  palace." 

"  I  dare  say  it  is." 

"  You  can  just  as  well  go  in  there,  if  you  like." 

"  I  don't  see  how  that  can  be.  I  don't  think  I'm  fit 
to  be  an  officer.  I  am  from  Cincinnati,  and  I  never 
saw  a  ship  till  I  came  east  three  weeks  ago." 

"  None  of  the  fellows  know  anything  about  a  ship. 
All  of  us  will  have  to  learn." 

"  Carnes  knows  all  about  one." 

"  No,  he  don't.     He  made  one  voyage,  and  knows 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  47 

just  enough  to  talk  salt.  He's  a  good  fellow  enough, 
but  he  isn't  fit  for  captain.  If  you  want  to  be  an 
officer,  Kendall,  and  have  a  berth  in  the  after  cabin, 
you  can,  just  as  well  as  not." 

"  Well,  I  would  like  such  a  place  ;  I  can't  deny  it ; 
but  I  don't  think  the  fellows  will  go  for  me." 

"  They  will,  if  you  say  so." 

"  If  I  say  so  !  I'm  not  going  to  ask  them  to  vote 
for  me,"  replied  Kendall,  warmly ;  for  he  was  no  poli- 
tician, and  had  a  vein  of  modesty  in  his  composition. 

"  You  needn't  say  a  word  to  any  one.  If  you  will 
go  for  our  ticket,  it  will  be  all  right.  Half  a  dozen  of 
us  have  talked  this  matter  over,  and  we  have  concluded 
that  you  would  be  the  best  fellow  for  second  master." 

"Have  you?"  asked  Kendall,  who  could  not  help 
being  gratified  to  learn  that  even  half  a  dozen  of  his 
companions  had  thought  him  worthy  to  be  an  officer 
of  so  high  a  rank  as  second  master.  "  I'm  very  much 
obliged  to  you." 

"  All  you  have  to  do,  is  to  go  for  our  ticket." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  your  ticket?"  demanded 
Kendall,  who  was  rather  confused  by  the  technical 
terms  of  the  wire-puller. 

Wilton  explained  that  his  little  party  had  selected  a 
candidate  for  each  of  the  offices  ;  and  if  all  the  fellows 
agreed  to  it,  there  would  be  fifteen  votes  for  their  ticket, 
to  begin  with. 

"  Well,  what  is  your  ticket?"  demanded  Kendall, 
impatiently.  "  If  they  are  all  good  fellows,  I  will  go 
for  them.  Of  course  you  mean  to  vote  for  Carnes  for 
captain." 

"  Not  exactly,"   replied  Wilton,  with   evident  dis* 


48  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

gust.  "  We  shall  put  up  a  better  fellow  than  he  is  for 
captain." 

"  Why,  all  the  boys  are  going  for  him,"  added  Ken- 
dall, astonished  to  find  there  were  any  who  did  not, 
believe  in  Carnes. 

"  No,  they  are  not." 

"  I  thought  they  were." 

"  He  will  not  be  elected,  and  you  need  not  throw 
your  vote  away  upon  him,  because,  if  you  don't  want 
a  place  in  the  after  cabin,  there  are  plenty  of  fellows 
who  do,"  added  the  wire-puller,  with  apparent  indif- 
ference. 

"  But  I  do  want  it." 

•'  Then  all  you  have  to  do,  is  to  go  for  our  ticket." 

"  I  think  Carnes  wall  make  the  best  captain." 

"  Very  well ;  if  you  think  so,  you  have  a  right  to 
your  own  opinion.     I  haven't  any  mortgage  on  it." 

"  Whom  are  you  going  to  run  for  captain?  " 

"  It's  no  use  to  talk  any  more  about  it,  if  you  are 
going  for  Carnes,"  replied  Wilton,  as  he  turned  to 
move  away. 

The  wire-puller  was  playing  a  part.  Paul  Kendall 
was  a  noble  little  fellow,  and  was  already  a  great 
favorite  on  board,  not  only  with  the  boys,  but  with 
the  principal  and  the  professors.  Wilton  knew  that 
he  had  a  great  deal  of  influence,  and  it  was  important 
to  secure  him  for  their  ticket.  If  he  could  tell  others 
that  Kendall  was  going  for  their  men,  it  would  induce 
many  to  join  their  party.  The  "  favorite,"  though  he 
was  an  honest,  noble-hearted  fellow,  was  still  human, 
and  a  berth  in  the  after  cabin  was  a  strong  temptation 
to  him. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  49 

"  I'm  not  going  to  say  I'll  vote  for  a  fellow  till  \ 
know  who  he  is,"  added  Kendall.  "  If  he's  the  right 
person,  perhaps  I'll  go  for  him,  though  I  wanted  to 
see  Carnes  captain." 

"  Carnes  can't  be  elected,  I  tell  you.  We  arf  going 
against  him." 

"  Whom  are  you  going  for,  then?  " 

"  For  Bob  Shuffles,"  replied  Wilton,  desperately, 
for  he  did  not  wish  to  mention  his  candidate  till  he 
had  won  the  assent  of  his  companion. 

"  Shuffles  !  "  exclaimed  Kendall,  with  something 
like  horror  mingled  with  his  astonishment ;  "  I  shall 
not  go  for  him,  anyhow." 

"Why  not?" 

"  I  don't  think  he  is  the  right  person  for  the  place." 

"  I  do  ;  he's  a  first-rate  fellow  —  none  of  your  milk 
and  water  chaps,  that  swallow  camels  and  strain  at 
gnats." 

Kendall  had  some  decided  objections  to  Shuffles, 
and  he  positively  refused  to  vote  for  him,  even  to  ob- 
tain the  coveted  position  in  the  after  cabin.  Wilton 
argued  the  matter  with  much  skill  and  cunning ;  but 
his  logic  and  his  eloquence  were  both  wasted. 

"  Well,  if  you  won't  go  for  Shuffles,  you  must  be 
content  with  your  place  in  the  steerage,"  added  Wil- 
ton. 

"  I  won't  go  for  him,  any  how,"  said  Kendall, 
firmly. 

"  You  are  making  a  mistake." 

"  I  don't  think  so.  I'm  bound  to  vote  for  the  best 
fellow,  and  I'm  sure  Shuffles  isn't  the  right  one." 

"  See  here,  Kendall ;  don't  say  a  word  to  the  other* 
5 


50  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

that  I  spoke  to  you  of  this  little  matter.  I  thought  you 
would  go  with  us,  or  I  shouldn't  have  said  anything 
to  you." 

"  Not  say  anything?     Why  not?  " 

"  Because  it  will  be  better  to  keep  still." 

"  I  shall  not  do  anything  of  the  kind.  You  have 
got  up  a  plan  to  defeat  Carnes,  by  giving  the  offices  to 
fellows  who  will  vote  against  him.  You  wish  me  to 
keep  still,  while  you  carry  out  your  plan.  I  can  see 
through  a  cord  of  wood,  when  there's  a  hole  big 
enough." 

"  I  mentioned  this  thing  to  you  in  confidence." 

"  You  didn't  say  a  word  about  confidence  ;  and  I 
didn't  promise  to  keep  still.  I  won't  keep  still.  I 
think  it  is  a  mean  trick  to  buy  up  the  votes  of  the 
fellows,  and  I'll  blow  the  whole  thing  higher  than  a 
kite." 

"  You'll  catch  it  if  you  do,"  said  Wilton,  in  a 
threatening  tone. 

"Catch  what?"  demanded  Kendall,  with  a  very 
pretty  exhibition  of  dignity. 

"  Bob  Shuffles  will  give  it  to  you." 

"  Give  what  to  me  ?  " 

"  Give  you  the  biggest  licking  you  ever  had  in  your 
life,"  answered  Wilton,  angrily.  "  You  are  so  stupid, 
you  can't  understand  anything." 

"  I  think  I  can  understand  the  licking,  when  it 
comes.     That's  a  game  that  two  can  play  at." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  you  little  bantam  ?  Do  you 
think  you  can  whip  Bob  Shuffles?  " 

"  I  had  no  idea  of  whipping  him  ;  and  I  have  no 
idea  of  his  whipping  me,  either." 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  5 1 

Kendall  was  spunky ;  Wilton  could  make  nothing 
of  him  by  threats  or  persuasion  ;  and  he  turned  away 
from  him  to  seek  a  more  promising  field  of  labor. 
Kendall  took  off  his  cap,  scratched  his  head  as  he 
reflected  upon  the  event  which  had  just  transpired, 
and  made  up  his  mind  that  it  was  an  insult  to  an  inde- 
pendent elector  to  attempt  to  buy  his  vote  with  the 
paltry  consideration  of  an  office.  He  was  sorry  that 
he  had  been  even  tempted  by  the  proposition  of  the 
wire-pullers,  and  thankful  that  his  sense  of  honor  and 
decency  had  prompted  him  to  decline  it  when  asked  to 
vote  for  an  improper  person.  True  to  his  promise, 
he  made  all  haste  to  expose  the  conspiracy,  as  he 
regarded  it,  against  Carnes. 

When  the  students  turned  in  that  night,  the  wire- 
pullers had  found  a  sufficient  number  of  candidates 
for  all  the  offices  on  the  terms  set  forth  in  the  compact, 
each  of  whom  had  promised  to  use  his  influence  for 
the  entire  ticket.  Shuffles  had  made  a  very  pretty 
calculation,  to  the  effect  that  each  of  the  fifteen  candi- 
dates could  influence  at  least  two  votes  besides  his  own 
for  the  ticket,  which  would  inevitably  elect  it.  But 
during  all  this  time  Paul  Kendall  had  been  laboring 
like  a  Trojan  for  Carnes,  and  had  induced  his  friends 
to  do  the  same. 

At  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  polls  were 
opened  for  the  election  of  officers.  A  box  was  placed 
on  the  fife-rail,  at  the  mainmast,  in  which  the  ballots 
were  deposited,  under  the  inspection  of  Professor 
Mapps, 

"  Have  all  the  students  voted  ?  "  called  the  professor, 


52  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

when  the  voting  was  suspended.  "  If  so,  I  declare 
the  poll  closed." 

It  was  a  moment  of  intense  excitement  on  the  spar 
deck  of  the  Young  America  when  Mr.  Lowington 
stood  up  on  the  hatch  to  announce  the  vote.  There 
was  a  pleasant  smile  upon  his  face,  which  indicated 
that  it  would  not  be  his  painful  duty  to  veto  the  choice 
of  the  independent  electors. 

"  Young  gentlemen,  your  balloting  appears  to  have 
been  conducted  with  entire  fairness,"  said  he,  "  and  I 
will  proceed  to  declare  the  result.  Whole  number  of 
votes,  eighty-seven  ;  necessary  to  a  choice,  forty-four. 
Paul  Kendall  has  five  ;  Charles  Gordon  has  seven  ; 
Robert  Shuffles  has  twenty-two  ;  Richard  Carnes 
has  fifty-three,  and  is  elected  captain  of  the  Young 
America  for  the   succeeding  three   months." 

The  party  who  had  worked  and  voted  for  Carnes 
applauded  the  result  most  lustily,  and  gave  three 
cheers  for  the  new  captain,  which,  on  this  exciting 
occasion,  were  not  objected  to  by  the  principal.  Shuf- 
fles's  jaw  dropped  down,  and  his  lip  quivered  with 
angry  emotion. 

"  That  little  whipper-snapper  of  a  Kendall  did  that," 
said  Wilton,  in  a  low  tone,  to  the  disappointed  candi- 
date. "  I  was  afraid  of  this  when  I  saw  him  blowing 
about  the  deck." 

"  I'll  settle  it  with  him  when  I  get  a  good  chance," 
growled  Shuffles,  as  he  went  to  the  rail  and  looked 
over  into  the  water,  in  order  to  conceal  his  disappoint- 
ment and  chagrin. 

"  Young  gentlemen  will  bring  in  their  votes  for  first 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  53 

lieutenant,"  said  Professor  Mapps,  as  he  placed  the 
box  on  the  fife-rail  again. 

The  boys  marched  around  the  mainmast,  and  de- 
posited their  ballots  for  the  second  officer,  as  they  had 
done  before.  The  friends  of  Shuffles  rallied  again, 
hoping  that  something  might  yet  come  of  the  compact 
they  had  made  with  him,  and  gave  him  their  votes  for 
first  lieutenant,  though,  in  his  chagrin,  he  declared  that 
he  would  not  accept  the  position.  Fortunately  for  him, 
he  was  not  called  upon  to  do  so  ;  for  Charles  Gordon 
was  elected  by  a  very  large  majority.  As  the  election 
proceeded,  it  became  evident  that  there  was  no  office 
for  Shuffles.  Paul  Kendall  was  elected  fourth  lieu- 
tenant, and  the  announcement  of  the  vote  was  greeted 
by  even  more  hearty  applause  than  had  been  bestowed 
upon  the  captain. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  balloting,  Shuffles  found 
that  not  a  single  one  of  the  wire-pullers,  or  of  the 
candidates  nominated  by  them,  had  been  elected. 
The  attempt  to  bribe  the  independent  voters,  by  giv- 
ing them  office,  had  been  a  signal  failure  ;  and  it  is  to 
be  hoped  that  Young  America,  when  fully  developed, 
will  stick  to  his  principles. 

u  Captain  Richard  Carnes,"  said  Mr.  Lowington,  as 
he  stepped  upon  the  hatch,  after  the  voting  had  been 
concluded. 

The  young  gentleman  thus  addressed  came  forward, 
blushing  beneath  the  honors  which  had  been  bestowed 
upon  him.     The  principal  took  his  hand. 

"  Captain  Carnes,  I  congratulate  you  upon  your 
election  to  the  highest  office  in  the  gift  of  your  com- 
5  * 


54  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

panions ;  and  I  congratulate  your  fellow-students  also 
upon  having  so  good  a  young  man  to  handle  the  ship. 
You  have  been  modest,  and  they  have  been  wise.  I 
congratulate  you  both.  Young  gentlemen,  I  am 
satisfied  that  your  captain  will  be  just,  courteous,  and 
gentlemanly,  in  his  relations  with  you  ;  and  I  hope 
you  will  yield  a  willing  and  cheerful  obedience  to  his 
orders,  and  to  those  of  all  your  superiors.  Let  me 
say  that  this  business  is  not  a  farce  ;  it  is  not  mere 
boys'  play  ;  for  as  soon  as  the  officers  and  crew  are 
fully  trained  and  instructed,  all  ship  duty  will  be 
carried  on  without  assistance  from  me  or  others. 
When  necessary,  I  shall  advise  the  captain  what  to 
do,  but  I  shall  not  do  it  myself;  neither  shall  I  need- 
lessly interfere  with  the  discipline  of  the  ship. 

"  This  is  the  last  time  an  election  of  officers  will  be 
permitted,  for  it  is  liable  to  many  objections,' not  the 
least  of  which  are  the  bribery  and  corruption  by  which 
some  have  attempted  to  obtain  office." 

Mr.  Lowington  looked  at  Shuffles,  as  though  he 
knew  all  about  the  method  to  which  he  had  resorted 
to  secure  an  election  ;  but  we  are  quite  sure  that  Paul 
Kendall  had  never  lisped  a  word  of  it  to  him,  or  to 
any  of  the  instructors. 

"  On  the  first  day  of  July,  young  gentlemen,  all 
the  offices  will  be  vacant ;  and  they  will  be  awarded 
strictly  in  accordance  with  the  marks  you  may  obtain. 
There  will  be  no  veto  upon  the  result  of  the  merit 
roll.  These  places,  therefore,  are  open  to  all.  We 
have  no  aristocracy  on  board.  Every  student  in  the 
ship  is  a  candidate  for  the  captaincy.  Now,  if  the 
officers  elect  will  follow  me  to  the  after  cabin,  I  will 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  55 

install  them  into  their  new  positions ;  after  which  I 
will  proceed  to  organize  the  crew." 

The  door  of  the  after  cabin,  which  had  hitherto 
been  a  mystery  to  all  the  boys,  was  unlocked  by  the 
head  steward,  and  Mr.  Lowington,  followed  by  the 
officers,  entered.  The  students  on  deck  were  ordered 
forward,  and  were  not  even  permitted  to  look  down 
the  companion-way,  for  the  principal  intended  to  keep 
the  after  cabin  exclusively  for  the  officers  ;  and  no  one 
not  entitled  to  admission  was  to  be  allowed  to  cross 
its  threshold.  He  believed  that  this  mystery,  and  this 
rigid  adherence  to  the  division  line  between  officers 
and  crew,  would  promote  the  discipline  of  the  ship, 
and  enhance  the  value  of  the  offices  —  the  prizes  for 
good  conduct,  and  general  fidelity  to  duty. 

"  Captain  Carnes,  this  is  your  state  room,"  con- 
tinued Mr.  Lowington,  opening  the  door  of  the  room 
farthest  forward  on  the  starboard  side.  "  As  the  com- 
mander of  the  ship  you  are  entitled  to  an  apartment 
by  yourself." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  replied  the  captain,  as  he  stepped 
into  the  room. 

"  You  will  find  on  the  hooks  your  uniform  as 
captain.  There  are  three  suits,  from  which  you  will 
select  one  that  fits  you." 

Captain  Carnes  entered  and  closed  the  door.  If  he 
did  not  feel  like  a  kinsr,  he  ought  to  have  felt  so. 

Mr.  Lowington  then  gave  the  next  room  to  the  first 
and  second  lieutenants,  who  were  to  occupy  it  together  ; 
and  they  were  also  directed  to  clothe  themselves  in  the 
uniforms  deposited  there  for  their  use.  The  third  state 
room  was  given  to  the  third  and  fourth  lieutenants,  and 


56  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

the  fourth  to  the  first  and  second  midshipmen.  The 
forward  room  of  the  port  side  was  assigned  to  the  first 
and  second  masters  ;  the  next  to  the  third  and  fourth  ; 
the  third  to  the  two  pursers,  and  the  last  to  the  third 
and  fourth  midshipmen. 

In  a  short  time  the  officers  came  out  of  their  rooms 
clothed  in  their  uniforms,  which  consisted  of  a  blue 
frock  coat,  with  brass  buttons,  and  blue  pants.  The 
cap  was  of  the  same  material,  with  a  gold  band 
around  it.  Thus  far  the  uniforms  were  all  alike ; 
but  there  were  distinguishing  insignia  to  indicate  the 
rank  of  each.  All  the  officers  had  shoulder-straps,  by 
which  their  positions  were  designated.  The  captain 
had  two  anchors  ;  the  first  lieutenant  had  one  anchor, 
with  four  stars,  one  above,  one  below,  and  one  on 
each  side  ;  the  second  lieutenant  had  the  anchor  with 
three  stars  —  none  above  ;  the  third  lieutenant,  one 
star  on  each  side  of  the  anchor  ;  and  the  fourth  lieu- 
tenant one  star  below  the  anchor.  The  captain  also 
wore  five  narrow  gold  bands  on  each  of  his  coat 
sleeves ;  the  first  lieutenant  four,  and  so  on,  the 
fourth   wearing   but    one  band. 

The  shoulder-straps  of  the  masters  contained  no 
anchor ;  only  the  stars,  one  for  each  grade,  the  first 
master  having  four  stars ;  the  fourth  only  one.  The 
rank  of  the  pursers  was  indicated  by  the  outline  of  a 
parallelogram  for  the  second,  and  two  of  the  same 
figure,  one  within  the  other,  for  the  first.  The  straps 
of  the  midshipmen  contained  gilt  numbers,  from  one 
to  four,  designating  their  grade. 

The  officers  presented  a  very  elegant  and  dashing 
appearance  in  their  new  uniform  ;  and  if  some  of  them 


YOUNG    AMERICA   AFLOAT.  $? 

did  not  feel  a  little  vain,  it  was  because  they  were  less 
human  than  boys  usually  are. 

"What  are  we  to  do,  sir?"  asked  Kendall  of  the 
principal,  after  the  uniforms  had  been  duly  criticised. 

"  Nothing,  at  present." 

"  Nothing !  Why,  I  feel  like  a  counterfeit  gold 
dollar,  in  this  rig,  when  I  know  no  more  about  a 
ship  than  I  do  about  the  inside  of  the  moon." 

"  You  will  learn  in  due  time.  You  will  go  on  deck 
now,  young  gentlemen  ;  and  remember  that,  as  officers, 
you  are  not  to  be  familiar  with  the  crew  while  you  are 
on  duty." 

"  Can't  we  speak  to  them  ? "  asked  Kendall,  who 
was  not  disposed  to  be  so  exclusive  as  naval  discipline 
required  him  to  be. 

"  Not  while  you  are  on  duty,  except  when  it  is 
necessary  to  do  so.  We  will  now  assign  the  berths 
in  the  steerage  to  the  crew." 

As  the  boys  came  on  board,  they  had  taken  the 
berths  as  they  pleased.  Shuffles  had  selected  a  room, 
and  invited  his  "cronies"  to  occupy  the  bunks  it  con- 
tained with  him.  The  berths  were  now  to  be  distrib- 
uted by  lot.  Professor  Mapps  had  provided  seventy- 
two  slips  of  paper,  on  each  of  which  he  had  written 
a  number.  The  boys  were  mustered  into  line,  and 
drew  out  these  numbers  from  the  package.  As  each 
student  drew  his  slip,  the  purser  wrote  down  his  name 
in  a  book,  with  the  number  he  had  drawn. 

In  the  steerage,  each  berth  had  its  own  number, 
which  was  also  applied  to  a  locker,  and  a  seat  at  one 
of  the  mess  tables.  When  the  drawing  was  com- 
pleted, each  student  had  his  berth,  his  clothes  locker, 


58  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

and  his  seat  at  meals.  Many  of  them  were  extremely 
dissatisfied  when  they  found  that  they  had  been  sepa- 
rated from  their  "  cronies  ;  "  but  the  principal  was  firm, 
and  would  not  allow  a  single  change  to  be  made. 

By  this  time  it  was  twelve  o'clock,  and  Boatswain 
Peaks  piped  all  hands  to  muster.  The  ensign  was 
hoisted,  and  saluted  with  three  cheers,  in  which  all 
hands,  young  and  old,  joined.  When  this  ceremony 
was  finished,  the  crew  were  piped  to  dinner,  and  the 
officers  went  to  their  cabin,  where  the  steward  had  set 
the  table  for  them  for  the  first  time.  They  dined  like 
lords,  though  upon  the  same  fare  as  their  companions 
in  the  steerage. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  59 


CHAPTER    IV. 


OFFICERS    AND    SEAMEN. 


AFTER  dinner  the  organization  of  the  crew  was 
continued.  All  hands  were  "  piped  to  muster," 
and  by  this  time  most  of  those  who  had  been  dis- 
affected at  the  drawing  of  berths  had  recovered  their 
natural  equanimity,  and  all  were  intensely  interested 
in  the  arrangement  of  the  details.  None  of  the  boys 
knew  what  was  coming,  and  their  curiosity  kept  them 
in  a  continuous  state  of  excitement. 

"  All  who  have  drawn  even  numbers  will  take  the 
starboard  side  of  the  ship,"  said  Mr.  Lowington  from 
his  perch  on  the  hatch.  "  All  who  have  drawn  odd 
numbers  will  take  the  port  side." 

"  This  is  the  starboard  side,  my  lads,"  added  Mr. 
Fluxion,  the  instructor  in  mathematics  —  who,  like  the 
principal,  had  been  a  naval  officer,  —  as  he  pointed  to 
the  right,  looking  forward. 

Some  had  already  forgotten  their  numbers,  and  there 
was  considerable  confusion  before  the  order  could  be 
obeyed. 

"  Young  gentlemen,  the  books  will  be  opened  to- 
day ;  and  a  student  who  forgets  his  number  again  will 
lose  a  mark,"  said  Mr.  Lowington.  "  Are  they  all  in 
their  places,  Mr.  Fluxion?" 


60  OUTWARD   BOUND,    OR 

"  They  are,  sir,"  replied  the  instructor,  who  had 
just  counted  them. 

"  Young  gentlemen,  you  are  thus  divided  into  two 
equal  parts  —  the  starboard  and  the  port  watches. 
Now  form  a  straight  line,  toe  the  crack,  and  call  your 
numbers  in  order,  beginning  with  the  starboard  watch." 

The  boys  eagerly  followed  this  direction,  though 
some  assistance  was  required  from  the  instructors  in 
repressing  their  superfluous  enthusiasm. 

"  Very  well,"  continued  Mr.  Lowington,  when  the 
students  were  formed  in  two  lines.  u  Every  boy  in 
the  starboard  watch  whose  number  is  divisible  by  four, 
step  forward  one  pace.  Number  three  in  the  port 
watch,  do  the  same.  Mr.  Mapps,  oblige  me  by  seeing 
that  every  alternate  boy  in  the  line  steps  forward." 

"  The  line  is  formed,  sir,"  replied  the  instructor, 
when  he  had  carried  out  the  direction  of  the  principal. 

"Each  watch  is  now  divided  into  two  parts  —  the 
first  and  second  parts,  as  they  will  be  called.  Now, 
young  gentlemen,  the  clothing  will  be  distributed,  and 
each  student  will  put  on  his  uniform  at  once." 

The  four  lines  were  then  marched  down  into  the 
steerage,  each  under  the  charge  of  an  instructor,  to  a 
particular  locality,  where  the  head  steward  and  his 
assistants  had  deposited  the  clothing  for  each  watch 
and  quarter  watch.  The  uniform  consisted  of  blue 
seaman's  pants  and  a  heavy  flannel  shirt  or  frock,  such 
as  is  worn  in  the  United  States  navy.  To  each  stu- 
dent, the  follow ing  articles  were  served  out :  — 

I  pea-jacket. 

i  blue  cloth  jacket. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  6 1 

I  pair  blue  cloth  pants. 

I  pair  blue  satinet  pants. 

i  blue  cap. 

I  straw  hat,  of  coarse,  sewed  straw. 

1  Panama  hat,  bound. 

2  knit  woollen  shirts. 

2  pair  knit  woollen  drawers. 

2  white  frocks. 

2  pair  white  duck  pants. 

4  pair  socks. 

2  pair  shoes. 

2  black  silk  neck-handkerchiefs. 

These  articles  were  given  to  the  boys,  and  they  were 
required  to  put  on  the  every-day  uniform  ;  after  which 
they  were  directed  to  arrange  the  rest  of  the  clothing 
in  the  lockers  belonging  to  them.  The  contractor  who 
had  furnished  the  goods  was  present  with  four  tailors, 
to  attend  to  the  fitting  of  the  clothes,  which  were  all 
numbered  according  to  the  size.  In  a  short  time  the 
students  began  to  come  out  of  their  rooms,  clothed  in 
their  new  rig.  They  looked  intensely  "  salt,"  and  there 
was  no  end  to  the  jokes  and  smart  things  that  were 
said  on  this  interesting  occasion.  Even  Shuffles  hardly 
knew  himself  in  his  new  dress. 

The  frock  had  a  broad  rolling  collar,  in  each  corner 
of  which  was  worked  an  anchor  in  white.  The  black 
silk  neck-handkerchief  wxas  worn  under  the  collar,  and 
not  many  of  the  boys  had  acquired  the  art  of  tying  the 
regular  sailor's  knot.  Boatswain  Peaks  not  only  stood 
up  as  a  model  for  them,  but  he  adjusted  the  "  neck 
gear"  for  many  of  them.  Bitts,  the  carpenter,  and 
6 


62  OUTWARD    BOUND,   OR 

Leech,  the  sailmaker,  who  were  also  old  sailors,  cheer- 
fully rendered  a  valef  s  assistance  to  such  as  needed 
help. 

Agreeably  to  the  directions  of  Mr.  Lowington,  the 
shore  suits  of  the  students  were  done  up  in  bundles, 
each  marked  with  the  owner's  name,  and  the  head 
steward  took  them  to  Mr.  Lowington's  house  for 
storage. 

Rigged  out  in  their  "  sea  togs,"  the  students  began 
to  feel  salt,  as  well  as  to  look  salt.  Some  of  them  tried 
to  imitate  the  rolling  gait  of  the  boatswain  when  they 
walked,  and  some  of  them  began  to  exhibit  an  alarm- 
ing tendency  to  indulge  in  sea  slang. 

"  There,  my  hearty,  you  look  like  a  sailor  now," 
said  Peaks,  when  he  had  rolled  over  the  collar  and 
tied  the  square  knot  in  the  handkerchief  of  Wilton. 

"  Shiver  my  timbers,  but  I  feel  like  one,"  laughed 
the  embryo  seaman. 

"What's  that,  young  gentleman?"  demanded  Mr. 
Lowington,  who  happened  to  be  within  hearing ; 
"  what  did  you  say?  " 

"  I  said  I  felt  like  a  sailor,  sir." 

"  What  was  the  expression  you  used?" 

"  I  only  said  shiver  my  timbers,  sir." 

"  You  stole  that  expression  from  a  yellow-covered 
novel.  Did  you  ever  hear  Mr.  Peaks,  who  has  been  a 
sailor  all  his  lifetime,  use  such  language?" 

"  I'll  be  bound  he  never  did,"  added  Peaks. 

"  No,  sir,  I  don't  know  that  I  ever  did." 

"  Some  sailors  do  use  such  expressions ;  but  it  is 
gross  affectation  for  these  young  gentlemen,  who  never 
saw  a  blue  wave,  to  indulge  m  them.     If  you  please, 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  63 

Wilton,  you  will  not  use  such  language.  It  is  simply 
ridiculous.  Mr.  Peaks,  you  will  pipe  all  hands  to 
muster  again." 

The  shrill  whistle  of  the  boatswain  sounded  through 
the  ship,  and  the  boys  tumbled  up  the  ladders,  eager 
to  learn  what  was  to  be  done  next.  As  they  formed 
in  lines,  they  presented  a  novel  and  picturesque  ap- 
pearance in  their  jaunty  uniform.  Most  of  them  had 
already  learned  to  wear  their  caps  canted  over  on  one 
side,  and  not  a  few  of  them,  perhaps  as  much  from 
necessity  as  because  it  was  a  sailor's  habit,  hitched  up 
their  trousers,  and  thrust  their  hands  deep  down  into 
the  side  pockets. 

The  students  were  again  formed  in  watches  and 
quarter  watches,  each  of  which  classes  and  sub-classes 
was  indicated  on  the  uniforms.  All  the  starboard 
watch  wore  a  small  silver  star  on  the  right  arm,  above 
the  elbow,  and  the  port  watch  the  same  emblem  on 
the  left  arm.  The  first  part  of  each  watch  had  a 
figure  1 ,  under  the  star,  and  the  second  part  a  figure 
2  in  the  same  position. 

The  rest  of  the  day  was  spent  in  the  organization 
for  ship's  duty,  which  was  far  from  completed  when 
the  sun  went  down.  The  next  day  every  boy  was 
kept  so  busy  that  he  had  no  time  to  grumble.  The 
instructors  attended  to  the  lessons  in  the  steerage  with 
one  watch,  while  the  other  was  on  deck  acquiring  sea- 
manship. In  the  course  of  the  month,  as  the  boys 
learned  their  duties,  and  the  capabilities  of  each  were 
ascertained,  they  were  assigned  to  their  stations  in  the 
various  evolutions  required  in  working  the  vessel. 

Boatswain  Peaks  had  taught  the  boys,  a  few  at  a 


64 


OUTWARD   BOUND,    OR 


time,  how  to  set  a  sail,  reef  and  furl  it.  They  had 
been  gradually  accustomed  to  going  aloft,  until  the 
giddy  height  of  the  main  royal  did  not  appall  them, 
and  they  could  lay  out  on  the  yards  without  thinking 
of  the  empty  space  beneath  them.  By  the  first  of 
June,  all  the  petty  officers  had  been  appointed,  and 
every  student  had  his  station  billet.  When  the  order 
was  given  to  unmoor  ship,  to  make  sail,  or  to  furl  the 
sails,  every  one  knew  where  to  go  and  what  to  do. 
The  station  billets  were  cards  on  which  the  various 
evolutions  of  the  snip  had  been  printed  in  a  column 
on  the  left,  while  the  particular  duty  of  the  owner  of 
the  card  was  written  against  it.  The  card  was  kept 
by  the  student,  and  he  was  expected  to  learn  its  con- 
tents, so  that  he  could  take  his  place  without  stopping 
to  consult  it,  when  an  order  was  given.  Here  is  a 
specimen  of  the  cards  :  — 


PORT  WATCH,    NO   21. 

WILLIAM  FOSTER, 

Second  Part. 

Captain  of  the  Forecastle. 

Reefing. 

Head  Bowlines. 

Tacking  ok,  Wearing. 

Forecastle.     Let  go  head  bowlines. 

Let  go  and  shorten  in  foretack 

and  belay  it. 

Getting  under  Way. 

Head  Bowlines.     Downhauls  and 

head-sheets. 

Anchoring. 

Head  Bowlines,  Sheets  and  Tacks. 

Downhauls. 

Loosing  Sails. 

Foretopmast  Staysail. 

Furling. 

Head   Bowlines   and   Downhauls, 

Staysail. 

Mooring  and  Unmooring. 

Forecastle. 

Boat. 

Professor's  Barge,  stroke-oar. 

Mess. 

No.  11. 

YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  65 

The  crew  had  been  in  training  a  month  before  an 
attempt  was  made  to  set  more  than  one  sail  at  once  ; 
but  by  this  time  the  officers  knew  the  orders,  having 
practised  every  day  since  the  organization.  The 
petty  officers  had  been  appointed,  and  had,  to  some 
extent,  become  familiar  with  their  duties. 

The  boys  still  continued  to  wonder  when  the  Young 
America  would  go  on  a  cruise,  for  they  were  very 
anxious  to  see  the  blue  water,  and  to  it>11  on  the  great 
waves  of  the  Atlantic  ;  but  they  were  so  constantly 
occupied  with  ship's  duty  and  their  studies,  that  the 
time  did  not  hang  heavily  on  their  hands.  Two 
months  of  constant  practice  had  made  tolerable  sea- 
men of  them,  and  the  discipline  of  the  ship  went  on 
regularly.  The  young  officers,  as  Mr.  Lowington  had 
promised,  began  to  conduct  the  evolutions  and  give 
the  orders. 

On  the  1st  day  of  June,  after  breakfast,  the  students 
were  thrown  into  a  fever  of  excitement  by  an  unusual 
order,  and  they  ventured  to  hope  that  the  ship  was  to 
leave  her  moorings. 

"  Mr.  Gordon,  you  will  pipe  all  hands  to  muster,'* 
said  Captain  Carnes  to  the  first  lieutenant. 

"  Pass  the  word  for  the  boatswain,"  added  Gordon 
to  one  of  the  midshipmen,  who  stood  near  him. 

This  call  was  answered,  not  by  Peaks,  who  no 
longer  performed  the  duties  of  boatswain,  but  by  one 
of  the  students,  who  had  been  appointed  to  this  posi- 
tion. 

"  Pipe  all  hands  to  muster,  boatswain,"  said  the 
first  lieutenant,  as  the  petty  officer  touched  his  cap  to 
him. 


66  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  All  hands  on  deck,  ahoy  !  "  shouted  the  boatswain, 
as  he  piped  the  call. 

This  was  an  unusual  order  for  that  time  of  day,  the 
forenoon  being  appropriated  to  study  for  each  watch 
in  turn ;  and  those  who  were  below  hastened  on  deck 
to  ascertain  what  was  to  be  done. 

u  All  hands,  stations  for  loosing  sail !  "  piped  the 
boatswain,  when   ordered  to   do   so  by  Gordon. 

The  first  lieutenant  was  in  charge  of  the  ship,  under 
the  direction  of  the  captain.  The  second  lieutenant 
stood  on  the  forecastle,  where  he  was  attended  by  the 
boatswain.  The  third  lieutenant  was  in  the  waist, 
and  the  fourth  on  the  quarter  deck,  near  the  mizzen- 
mast.  These  were  the  stations  of  the  officers  when- 
ever all  hands  were  called.  Mr.  Lowington  and  the 
instructors  stood  near  the  companion-way,  watching 
with  interest  this  first  attempt  to  make  sail  all  over 
the  ship. 

u  Lay  aloft,  sail-loosers  !  "  shouted  Gordon  ;  and  his 
order  was  repeated  by  the  officers  at  their  several 
stations. 

The  little  tars  who  belonged  on  the  topsail  and  top- 
gallant yards  sprang  up  the  rigging  like  so  many  cats, 
excited  beyond  measure  by  the  scene  of  activity  around 
them. 

"  Lower  yardmen  in  the  chains  ! "  continued  Gor- 
don ;  and  his  order  was  passed  along  by  the  officers. 
"  Aloft,  lower  yardmen  !  " 

In  a  moment  the  crew  were  in  their  places ;  the 
studding-sail  booms  were  triced  up  with  the  usual 
system,   so  that  the   sails  could  be  reached. 

"  Lay  out !  "  continued  the  first  lieutenant ;  and  the 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  67 

boys  walked  out  on  the  foot-ropes  to  their  stations  on 
the  yards.     "  Loose  !  " 

The  ropes  by  which  the  sails  were  secured  to  the 
yards  were  removed  at  this  order,  and  the  topmen  held 
the  sails  in  their  places. 

"  All  ready  on  the  forecastle,  sir,"  reported  Foster, 
who  was  captain  of  that  part  of  the  ship. 

"  All  ready  in  the  foretop." 

"  All  ready  in  the  maintop." 

"  All  ready  in  the  mizzentop,"  reported  the  several 
captains  of  the  tops,  in  their  proper  order. 

These  reports  were  passed  to  the  first  lieutenant  in 
charge  of  the  deck,  by  his  subordinates. 

"  Let  fall !  "  shouted  Gordon,  highly  excited ;  and 
the  sails  dropped  from  the  yard.  "  Overhaul  your 
rigging  aloft !  Man  sheets  and  halyards !  Sheets 
home,  and  hoist  away  !  " 

These  orders  were  passed  from  mouth  to  mouth 
among  the  officers,  and  return  reports  made,  accord* 
ing  to  the  strict  discipline  of  the  navy.  They  were 
promptly  executed  by  the  crew,  though  of  course  not 
without  some  blunders  ;  and  the  Young  America  was 
covered  with  her  cloud  of  canvas.  Mr.  Lowington 
commended  the  officers  and  crew  for  the  promptness 
and  skill  they  had  displayed  in  their  first  concerted 
attempt  at  making  sail.  He  then  directed  Captain 
Carnes  to  furl.  Both  evolutions  were  then  repeated, 
until  a  proficiency  satisfactory  for  one  day  was  attained. 

"  Not  going  to  sea,  after  all,"  said  Shuffles,  when 
the  crew  were  dismissed  from  muster. 

"  No,"  replied  Wilton.  "  I'm  tired  of  lying  here1; 
and  if  we  don't  go  to  sea  soon^  I  shall  take  myself  off*'* 


68  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  I'm  with  you." 

"  I  thought  we  were  going  to  have  some  fun  on 
board,  but  we  don't  do  anything  but  study  and  shake 
out  topsails." 

"  Do  you  know  how  you  stand  on  marks,  Wilton?  n 
asked  Shuffles. 

"  No  ;  not  very  high,  though." 

"  Don't  you  think  you  shall  get  into  the  cabin 
next    term  ?  " 

"  I  know  I  shall  not.     I  haven't  tried  for  anything." 

"  On  the  first  of  next  month,  you  know,  new  officers 
will  be  appointed,  and  I  suppose  the  crew  will  be 
messed  over  again." 

kt  I  don't  care.  I'm  getting  tired  of  this  thing.  I 
had  a  better  time  at  the  Academy  before  we  came  on 
board." 

"  There  isn't  much  chance  for  any  sport.  Hardly  a 
fellow  has  been  allowed  to  go  on  shore  since  we 
joined  the  ship." 

"  We'll  get  up  a  mutiny,  if  things  don't  improve." 

"  I  was  thinking  of  that  very  thing  myself,"  said 
Shuffles,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  A  mutiny  !  "  exclaimed  Wilton,  who  had  used  the 
word  in  jest. 

"Just  for  fun,  you  know,"  laughed  Shuffles. 

"  You  don't  mean  any  such  thing." 

"  Not  yet,  of  course." 

"  Do  you  at  any  time?  " 

"  We  want  something  more  exciting  than  this  kind 
of  a  life.  Here  we  are,  kept  down  and  treated  like 
common  sailors.  We  have  to  touch  our  caps  and 
make  our  manners  to  Dick  Carnes  and  the  rest  of  the 


YOUl^G   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  69 

flunkies  in  the  after  cabin.  My  father  pays  as  much 
for  me  as  Dick  Carries'  father  does  for  him,  and  I  don't 
think  it  is  fair  that  he  should  live  in  the  cabin  and  I  in 
the  steerage." 

"  If  you  get  marks  enough,  you  can  have  a  berth  in 
the  cabin,"  replied  Wilton. 

u  Marks  !  Confound  the  marks  !  I'm  not  a  baby. 
Do  you  think  a  fellow  seventeen  years  old  is  going  to 
be  put  up  or  put  down  by  marks?"  said  Shuffles. 

"I  thought  you  had  been  working  for  a  place  in 
the  cabin." 

"  So  I  have,  but  I  don't  expect  to  get  it.  I  never 
studied  so  hard  in  my  life,  and  I  believe  I  haven't  had 
a  bad  mark  since  I  came  on  board.  Lowington 
thinks  I  have  reformed,"  laughed  Shuffles.  "  And 
so  I  have." 

"  What  do  you  want  to  get  up  a  mutiny  for,  then?" 

"  I  shall  not,  if  I  get  a  decent  position  ;  if  I  don't, 
I'm  going  in  for  some  fun." 

"  But  do  you  really  think  of  getting  up  a  mutiny?" 
asked  Wilton,  curiously. 

"  I  was  thinking  the  other  day  what  a  fine  thing  it 
would  be  if  our  fellows  had  the  ship  all  to  themselves." 

"  What  could  we  do  with  her?  " 

"  Go  on  a  cruise  in  her." 

"  We  couldn't  handle  her ;  there  is  hardly  a  fellow 
on  board  that  knows  anything  about  navigation." 

"  Of  course,  I  don't  mean  to  do  anything  yet  a  while  ; 
not  this  year,  perhaps.  One  of  these  days,  if  we  stay 
on  board,  we  shall  know  all  about  a  ship.  Fifteen  or 
twenty  of  the  fellows  are  studying  navigation.  We 
are   going   to   Europe    some   time  or   other.      When 


*JO  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

we  do,  we  can  take  the  ship,  and  go  it  on  our  own 
hook." 

"  I  don't  believe  you  mean  anything  of  the  kind, 
Bob   Shuffles." 

u  I've  been  thinking  about  it,  anyhow.  We  can 
lock  Lowington  and  the  rest  of  the  old  folks  into  their 
cabin  while  they  are  at  dinner  ;  and  there  are  enough 
of  us  to  handle  Peaks  and  Bitts." 

"  I  think  you  are  crazy,  Shuffles." 

"We  should  have  a  high  old  time  if  we  could  get 
possession  of  the  ship.  We  wont  say  a  word  about 
it  yet." 

"  I  think  you  had  better  not." 

"  We  might  go  round  Cape  Horn  into  the  Pacific, 
and  have  a  splendid  time  among  the  beautiful  islands 
of  the  South  Sea." 

"  Of  course  all  the  fellows  wouldn't  join  you." 

"  We  could  put  those  ashore  somewhere  who  did 
not  agree  with  us." 

"You  know  the  penalty  of  mutiny  on  the  high 
seas." 

"  Bah  !  "  said  Shuffles,  contemptuously.  "  It  would 
be  nothing  but  a  lark.  No  one  would  think  of 
hanging  us,  or  even  sending  us  to  prison  for  it.  My 
father  is  rich  enough  to  get  me  out  of  any  scrape." 

"  So  is  mine  ;  but  I  don't  think  it  would  be  quite 
safe  to  go  into  a  mutiny." 

"  Not  yet,  my  dear  fellow.     You  can  think  it  over." 

"  But  I'm  tired  of  this  kind  of  a  life.  I  liked  it 
first  rate  in  the  beginning.  Do  you  think  Lowington 
really  intends  to  go  to  sea  with  the  ship  ?  " 

"  I  know  he  does." 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  7l 

"  If  he  don't  go  pretty  soon,  I  shall  run  awa3',  and 
go  to  sea  in  earnest." 

"  Don't  say  a  word  about  the  mutiny  at  present, 
Wilton.  By  and  by,  if  things  go  right,  or  if  they 
don't  go  right,  we  may  want  :o  take  some  stock  in 
such  an  enterprise." 

"  I  don't  see  it  yet,  but  of  course  I  shall  keep  still." 

It  is  doubtful  whether  even  sc  daring  a  young  man 
as  Shuffles,  who  nad  the  temerity  to  do  almost  any- 
thing, seriously  contemplated  getting  un  a  mutiny. 
Very  likely  his  untamed  and  vicious  imagination  had 
revelled  in  such  an  enterprise  ;  had  pictured  the  delights 
of  the  rover's  life  at  sea  ;  but  a  boy  of  ordinary  com- 
mon sense  could  hardly  think  of  engaging  in  such  a 
mad  scheme. 

The  last  week  of  June,  with  which  month  ended  the 
first  school  term  on  board  of  the  Young  America, 
was  devoted  to  examinations  and  reviews  in  all  the 
studies  for  which  extra  marks  were  given.  On  the 
last  day  the  instructors  made  up  the  merit  lists,  and 
on  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  July  all  hands  were 
mustered,  and  the  result  declared.  Most  of  the  offi- 
cers, all  of  whom  had  studied  with  unremitting  dili- 
gence, in  order  to  retain  their  positions,  were  reinstated 
in  their  offices.  The  third  lieutenant,  however,  fell 
out,  having  failed  in  his  reviews,  and  to  the  astonish- 
ment of  all,  Robert  Shuffles  was  found  to  be  entitled 
to  the  place.  The  first  and  second  lieutenants  ex- 
changed ranks,  and  Paul  Kendall  fell  to  the  position 
of  second  master.  Three  of  the  tenants  of  the  after 
cabin  were  compelled  to  move  into  the  steerage,  and 


JT2  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

three  of  the  crew  were  transferred  to  the  officers* 
quarters. 

Many  were  disappointed,  and  perhaps  some  were 
disheartened,  for  the  competition  had  been'  a  severe 
struggle  ;  and  as  much  depended  upon  natural  ability 
as  upon  energy  and  perseverance.  But  the  Young 
America  was  a  world  by  herself.  She  had  all  the 
elements  of  society  within  her  wooden  walls,  and 
success  and  failure  there  followed  the  same  rules  as 
in  the  great  world  of  which  she  was  an   epitome. 

After  the  officers  had  been  duly  installed  in  their 
positions,  the  petty  offices  were  given  to  those  having 
the  highest  number  of  marks  among  the  crew.  It 
was  certainly  democratic  for  the  late  third  lieutenant 
to  become  captain  of  the  foretop,  and  for  a  second 
master  to  become  coxswain  of  the  professors'  barge  ; 
but  these  young  gentlemen,  though  disappointed,  sub- 
mitted with  a  good  grace  to  their  misfortune. 

The  student  having  the  highest  number  of  marks 
among  the  crew  was  allowed  to  have  the  first  choice 
of  berths  in  the  steerage  ;  the  one  having  the  next 
highest  number  had  the  second  choice,  and  so  on, 
until  all  the  numbers  had  been  appropriated.  At  the 
conclusion  of  the  reorganization,  Mr.  Lowington  made 
a  speech,  "  comforting  the  mourners,"  and  reminding 
all  the  students  that,  on  the  ist  of  October,  there 
would  be  another  distribution  of  the  places  of  honor. 
He  hoped  those  who  had  failed  to  attain  what  they 
aspired  to  reach  would  not  be  discouraged,  for,  after 
all,  they  had  been  gaining  knowledge,  and  thus  the 
real  end  of  the  school  had  been  reached, 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  73 

"  How  about  the  mutiny?  "  said  Wilton  to  the  new 
third  lieutenant,  when  both  were  off  duty  in  the 
evening. 

"  It  won't  pay  just  now,"  replied  Shuffles,  with 
great  good  humor. 

"  I  suppose  not,"  sneered  Wilton,  who  had  not 
even  won  a  petty  office.  "  What  would  Lowington 
say  if  he  knew  the  third  lieutenant  talked  of  getting 
up  a  mutiny  on  board  ?  " 

u  What  would  he  say?"  repeated  Shuffles,  who  was 
as  much  surprised  at  the  high  rank  he  had  gained  as 
his  companion  had  been. 

"  Yes ;  what  would  he  say  if  I  should  tell  him 
of  it?" 

"  He  would  say  you  were  a  mean  pup  for  telling 
tales  out  of  school ;  at  least,  he  ought  to  say  so,  and  I 
think  he  would.  Lowington  is  a  pretty  good  fellow, 
after  all." 

44  No  doubt  he  is,  now  you  are  third  lieutenant." 

"  You  needn't  snuff  at  it,  Wilton.  If  you  want  a 
place,  why  don't  you  sail  in,  and  get  one.  Just  look 
out  for  your  marks  ;  that's  all  you  have  to  do." 

"  Marks !  I  thought  a  fellow  seventeen  years  old 
was  not  to  be  put  up  or  put  down  by  marks,"  said 
Wilton,  bitterly. 

"  That  depends  somewhat  upon  whether  you  get  in 
or  out,"  laughed  Shuffles. 

"  I  suppose  you  and  Paul  Kendall  will  be  fast 
friends  now,"  added  the  discontented  student. 

"  Kendall  behaves  very  well,  and  has  treated  me  first 
rate  since  I  went  into  the  cabin." 

7 


74  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  I  suppose  if  I  want  to  run  away,  you  will  stop  me 
now." 

"  If  you  are  going  to  do  that,  you  musn't  tell  me  of 
it,  now  I'm  an  officer,"  replied  Shuffles,  as  he  turned 
on  his  heel,  and  walked  aft. 

Wilton  was  disgusted,  and  felt  that  he  had  lost  his 
best  friend,  now  that  Shuffles  had  worked  his  way 
into  the  cabin. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT  75 


CHAPTER  V. 

OUR    FELLOWS. 

I  WOULD  like  leave  of  absence  for  to-morrow,  Mr. 
Pelham,"  said  Wilton,  as  he  touched  his  cap  to 
the  first  lieutenant  of  the  Young  America,  on  the  day 
before  the  Fourth  of  July; 

"■  I  am  sorry  to  inform  you,  Wilton,  that  no  leave 
of  absence  will  be  granted  to-morrow,"  replied  Pel- 
ham,  in  accordance  with  the  instructions  given  him 
by  the  captain,  who,  in  turn,  had  received  his  orders 
from  the  principal. 

"  No  leave  !  "  exclaimed  Wilton,  his  jaw  dropping 
down. 

"  Such  are  the  orders." 

"  I  have  always  been  in  the  habit  of  celebrating  the 
Fourth  of  July,"  replied  Wilton.  "  Are  we  to  stay 
on  board  the  ship,  and  mope  all  day?  " 

"  I  presume  the  day  will  be  celebrated  on  board  in 
a  proper  manner,"  added  the  first  lieutenant. 

"On  board!  What  can  a  fellow  do  here?  We 
might  as  well  go  to  bed,  and  sleep  off  the  day." 

"  No  words  are  necessary,  Wilton,"  replied  Pel- 
ham,  as  he  turned  and  walked  away. 

"  That's  a  good  one  !  "  added  Wilton,  to  the  group 
of  boys  who  had  come  with  him  to  the  mainmast,  to 


*j6  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

request  the  same  favor,  if  the  spokesman  was  permit- 
ted to  go  on  shore  and  celebrate  the  day. 

"  Not  to  celebrate  !  "  exclaimed  Monroe,  with  some- 
thing like  horror  in  his  tones  and  looks. 

"  Work  on  the  Fourth  of  July  !  "  chimed  in  Adler. 

"  I  won't  stand  it,  for  one  !  "  said  Wilton. 

"  Nor  I,  for  another,"  added  Monroe. 

So  said  half  a  dozen  others. 

"Well,  what  are  you  going  to  do  about  it?"  de- 
manded Adler.  "  Here  we  are,  and  we  can't  get 
ashore." 

"  Perhaps  we  can,"  said  Wilton,  as  he  led  the  way 
to  a  retired  part  of  the  deck,  where  they  could  talk 
without  being  overheard.  "  Did  any  one  ever  hear 
of  such  a  thing  as  keeping  the  fellows  on  board  on  the 
Fourth  of  July?  Why,  every  little  Greek  in  the  city 
yonder  has  his  liberty  on  that  day  ;  and  we  are  to  be 
cooped  up  here  like  a  parcel  of  sick  chickens  !  I  sup- 
pose we  shall  have  to  recite  history  and  French,  and 
shake  out  topsails,  as  usual." 

"  It's  outrageous.  I  don't  believe  the  fellows  will 
stand  it,"  added  Adler,  who  did  not  know  how  bad 
the  case  was,  until  it  had  been  rehearsed  by  Wilton, 
who,  in  the  absence  of  Shuffles,  had  become  the  leader 
of  a  certain  clique  on  board,  given  to  taking  opposite 
views. 

"  But  I  don't  see  what  we  can  do,"  said  Monroe. 

"  We  will  do  something.  I  won't  stand  it.  If  I 
stay  on  board  the  ship  to-morrow,  it  will  be  as  a  pris- 
oner," answered  Wilton. 

"  It's  a  hard  case  ;  but  what  can  we  do  about  it?  " 
asked  Sanborn. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  77 

"  Suppose  we  go  to  Lowington,  and  state  the  case 
to  him,"  suggested  Adler. 

"  What's  the  use  of  that?  Of  course  the  first  lieu- 
tenant spoke  by  the  card.  He  had  his  orders  to  say 
what  he  did,  and  I'm  sure  they  came  from  Lowing- 
ton." 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  that ;  but  it  would  be 
better  to  have  it  from  him." 

"  I'm  willing  to  ask  Lowington  for  the  day,  if  the 
fellows  want  me  to  do  so  ;  but  it  won't  do  any  more 
good  than  it  would  to  bark  at  the  mainmast,"  contin- 
ued Wilton.  "  I  have  an  idea  in  my  head,  if  the  fel- 
lows will  stand  by  me,"  he  added,  in  a  lower  tone,  as 
he  looked  over  the  rail  at  the  swinging  boom,  to  which 
the  boats  in  constant  use  were  made  fast. 

"  What  is  it?  "  asked  Monroe,  eagerly. 

"  Keep  shady,  for  a  while.  How  many  fellows  can 
we  muster?  " 

"  I  don't  know." 

"  Well,  don't  stir  the  matter  yet.  Here  comes  Low- 
ington, and  we  will  talk  to  him  first.  Come,  fellows, 
let's  make  a  dive  at  him." 

Wilton,  attended  by  his  companions,  walked  up  to 
the  principal,  as  he  was  going  forward.  Touching  his 
cap  respectfully,  as  the  discipline  of  the  ship  required, 
he  opened  the  case. 

"  Mr.  Lowington,  some  of  the  students  would  like 
to  go  on  shore  to-morrow,  to  celebrate  the  Fourth. 
Can't  we  have  liberty  ?  " 

"  You  know  the  rule  ;  you  should  apply  to  the  first 
lieutenant  for  leave  of  absence,"  replied  Mr.  Lowing- 
ton. 

7* 


>j8  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  We  have,  sir,  and  been  refused." 

"  Then  there  is  nothing  more  to  be  said.  The  first 
lieutenant  speaks  with  authority." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,  but  are  we  to  stay  on  board 
all  day  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  That  is  certainly  the  arrangement,  Wilton." 

"  Some  of  us  would  like  to  celebrate  the  day,  sir, 
and  we  think  it  is  rather  hard  to  be  obliged  to  do  duty 
on  the  Fourth  of  July." 

"  I  intend  to  have  the  day  celebrated  in  a  proper 
manner.  I  have  made  preparations  for  a  gala  day  on 
board." 

"  If  you  please,  sir,  we  would  rather  go  on  shore." 

"  I  am  very  sorry,  for  your  sake,  that  I  shall  be  un- 
able to  reverse  the  answer  of  the  first  lieutenant.  If 
I  permit  one  or  a  dozen  to  go  ashore,  I  cannot  refuse 
any,  and  all  must  go.  I  think  the  boys  will  be  satis- 
fied with  the  arrangements  I  have  made  for  the  day." 

"  I  never  was  kept  in  school  on  the  Fourth  of  July 
before,  sir,"  growled  Wilton. 

"  Then  this  will  be  a  new  event  in  your  experience," 
answered  Mr.  Lowington,  coldly,  as  he  turned  from 
the  petitioners,  and  went  forward. 

There  were  a  great  many  wild  boys  on  board  of  the 
Young  America,  and  it  was  morally  impossible  for  the 
whole  crew  to  attend  the  celebration  in  the  city,  with- 
out more  or  less  of  them  getting  into  a  scrape.  They 
had  been  kept  on  board  for  two  months,  and  not 
allowed  to  go  on  shore,  except  under  the  supervision 
of  one  of  the  instructors ;  and  to  let  any  considerable 
number  of  them  loose  on  such  a  day  as  the  Fourth  of 
July,  would  only  be  courting  trouble,  for  they  would 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  79 

be  all  the  more  disorderly  after  the  long  period  of 
restraint. 

Mr.  Lowington  did  not  willingly  deprive  the  boys 
of  any  innocent  gratification.  He  had  faithfully  con- 
sidered the  matter  of  celebrating  the  day,  and  taken 
the  advice  of  the  instructors  on  the  subject.  It  had 
been  proposed  to  procure  a  band  of  music,  and  visit 
the  city  in  a  body,  under  the  usual  discipline  ;  but 
there  were  many  difficulties  attending  such  a  plan. 
The  boys  were  all  the  sons  of  rich  men,  and  most  of 
them  were  abundantly  supplied  with  pocket  money. 
As  it  would  be  impossible  to  prevent  the  escape  of 
some  of  them  from  the  procession,  in  the  crowded 
streets,  it  was  feared  that  their  money  would  prove  to 
be  "  the  root  of  all  evil."  The  project  had  finally 
been  abandoned ;  and,  as  a  substitute,  a  programme 
for  a  celebration  on  board  had  been  arranged,  for  there 
the  students  would  be  entirely  under  the  control  of  the 
instructors,  who  would  check  all  excesses.  It  was  an- 
ticipated that  a  few  discontented  spirits  would  grumble, 
but.no  rebellion  was  expected. 

Wilton  and  his  companions  were  dissatisfied,  and 
disposed  to  be  rash.  They  felt  that  they  had  been 
harshly  and  cruelly  denied  a  reasonable  privilege. 
The  subject  of  celebrating  the  Fourth  had  been  under 
consideration  for  a  long  time  among  the  bo)S,  and  it 
had  been  generally  believed  that  all  hands  would  be 
permitted  to  go  on  shore,  with  perfect  liberty,  on  that 
day ;  and  many  of  them  had  already  arranged  their 
plans  for  the  occasion. 

"  Well,  what  do  you  think  now?"  said  Wilton,  as 
Mr.  Lowington  walked  forward. 


SO  OUTWARD    BOUND,    QR 

"  I  think  it's  too  bad,''  replied  Adler.  "  It  is  meaner 
than  dirt  to  "make  us  stay  on  board  on  the  Fourth  of 

"  But  I  don't  see  how  we  are  going  to  help  our- 
selves," added  Monroe,  looking  at  Wilton  for  a  solu- 
tion of  this  difficult  problem. 

"I  do." 

"How?" 

u  Keep  still ;  don't  say  a  word  here,"  continued 
Wilton.  "  Scatter,  now,  and  I  will  be  on  the  topgal- 
lant forecastle  in  a  few  minutes." 

Wilton  strolled  about  the  deck  a  short  time,  and 
then  went  to  the  place  of  meeting,  where  he  was  soon 
joined  by  the  rest  of  the  discontented  pupils. 

"How  many  fellows  can  we  muster?"  asked  lie, 
when  his  associates  in  mischief  had  again  gathered 
around  him. 

"  I  know  at  least  a  dozen,  who  are  up  to  anything," 
replied  Monroe  ;  "  but  some  of  them  are  in  the  other 
watch.     What  are  you  going  to  do  ?  " 

"  I'll  tell  you  :  There  are  the  professors'  barge  and 
the  third  cutter  at  the  swinging  boom.  We  will  drop 
into  them  when  the  instructors  go  down  to  supper, 
and  make  for  the  shore.  All  the  rest  of  the  boats  are 
at  the  davits  ;  and  before  they  can  get  them  into  the 
water,  we  shall  be  out  of  their  reach.  What  do  you 
think  of  that  for  a  plan  !  " 

"  I  think  it  is  a  first-rate  one.  But  hadn't  we  better 
wait  till  the  instructors  turn  in?  "  suggested  Adler. 

"  No  ;  the  boats  will  all  be  hoisted  up  to  the  davits 
at  sunset.  We  must  do  it  while  the  professors  are  at 
supper,  or   not  at  all.     We  want  eight  oars  for  the 


YOUNG  AMERICA   AFLOAT.  8 1 

barge,  and  six  for  the  third  cutter ;  that  ^makes  four- 
teen fellows.     Can  we  raise  as  many  as  that  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  think  we  can  ;  we  will  try,  at  any  rate." 

"  But  you  must  look  out,  or  some  fellow  will  blow 
the  whole  thing,"  added  Wilton.  "  Mind  whom  you 
speak  to." 

The  trustworthiness  of  the  various  students  was 
canvassed,  and  it  was  decided  what  ones  should  be 
invited  to  join  the  enterprise.  The  discontented  boys 
separated,  and  went  to  work  with  great  caution  to 
obtain  the  needed  recruits.  Unfortunately,  in  such  a 
crowd  of  young  men,  there  are  always  enough  to 
engage  in  any  mischievous  plot,  and  it  is  quite  likely 
that  twice  as  many  as  were  wanted  could  have  been 
obtained  to  man  the  boats  in  the  runaway  expedi- 
tion. 

Wilton  missed  Shuffles  very  much  in  arranging  the 
details  of  the  present  enterprise.  While  at  the  Brock- 
way  Academy,  they  had  plotted  mischief  so  often  that, 
each  seemed  to  be  necessary  to  the  other.  But  Shuf- 
fles had  reformed ;  he  was  now  third  lieutenant  of  the 
ship,  and  it  was  not  safe  to  suggest  a  conspiracy  to 
him,  for  he  would  attempt  to  gain  favor  with  the  prin- 
cipal by  exposing  or  defeating  it. 

Yet  Shuffles  was  so  bold  in  thought,  and  so  daring 
in  execution,  that  Wilton  could  hardly  abandon  the 
hope  of  obtaining  his  assistance ;  besides,  the  third 
lieutenant  would  be  officer  of  the  deck  when  the 
professors  went  to  supper,  and  might  wink  at  their 
departure  in  the  boats,  if  he  did  not  actually  help 
them  off. 

"  Would   you    say   anything   to    Shuffles  ? "    asked 


82  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

Wilton,  still  in  doubt,  of  Monroe,  as  they  happened 
to  meet  again  in  the  waist. 

"  To  Shuffles  !  "  exclaimed  Monroe,  in  an  energetic 
whisper. 

"  I  mean  so." 

"  Certainly  not.  I  should  as  soon  think  of  speaking 
to  Lowington  himself." 

"  But  Shuffles  may  join  us.  He  is  always  in  for  a 
good  time." 

"Why,  you  ninny,  he  is  third  lieutenant  of  the 
ship." 

"  No  matter  if  he  is.  I  think  Shuffles  would  like 
to  join  us." 

"  Nonsense  !  He  has  been  in  office  only  three  days, 
and  it  would  break  him.  He  would  be  degraded  to 
the  steerage,"  replied  Monroe,  who  could  not  help 
thinking  that  Wilton  was  beside  himself  in  proposing 
such  a  thing,  and  that  the  enterprise  was  doomed  to 
failure  in  such  incompetent  hands. 

"  If  he  won't  join  us,  perhaps  he  will  help  us  off. 
He  is  officer  of  the  deck,  you  know,  in  the  second  dog 
watch." 

"  I  know  he  is  ;  but  don't  you  open  your  mouth  to 
him.     If  you  do,  I'll  back  out  at  once." 

"Back  out?" 

"  Yes,  back  out.  I  believe  you  are  crazy.  Why 
don't  you  go  to  Captain  Carnes,  and  done  with  it  ?  " 
said  Monroe,  with  energy. 

"  I  haven't  any  hold  on  Carnes,  and  I  have  on 
Shuffles." 

"  What  do  you  mean?  "  asked  the  prudent  conspir 
atof,  curiously. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  83 

"  If  Shuffles  won't  join  us,  he  won't  blow  on  us, 
you  may  depend  upon  that.  He  wouldn't  dare  to  do 
it.  I  could  break  him  before  sundown,  if  I  chose," 
said  Wilton,  with  conscious  power. 

"  That  alters  the  case." 

"  Of  course,  I  shouldn't  think  of  saying  anything 
to  him,  if  I  did  not  know  what  I  was  talking  about. 
I  have  him  where  the  hair  is  short,  and  he  knows  it,  aa 
well  as  I  do." 

"  What  is  it,  Wilton  ?  " 

"  No  matter  what  it  is.  When  a  thing  is  told  me 
in  confidence,  I  keep  it  to  myself;  but  if  he  turns 
traitor  to  his  cronies,  he  must  look  out  for  breakers. 
He  knows  what  it  is." 

"  Well,  if  you  can  get  him,  he  will  be  a  first-rate 
fellow  to  have." 

"  I  think  I  can  get  him.  Here  he  comes  ;  you  keep 
out  of  the  way,  and  I  will  see  how  deep  the  water  is." 

Monroe  went  forward  to  find  a  student  to  whom  he 
had  been  deputed  to  speak  in  the  interest  of  the  enter- 
prise^  leaving  Wilton  to  grapple  with  the  old  lion  of 
mischief,  whose  teeth,  however,  seemed  to  have  been 
worn  out  in  the  cause. 

"  What's  up,  Wilton  ? "  demanded  the  third  lieu- 
tenant, who  was  now  off  duty,  and  therefore  allowed 
to  speak  to  the  crew,  though  it  was  a  privilege  of 
which  the  officers  seldom  availed  themselves. 

"  Who  said  anything  was  up?"  asked  Wilton. 

"You  look  as  though  you  meant  something.  What 
were  you  and  Ike  Monroe  talking  about  just  now?" 
continued  Shuffles.  "  About  me,  I'll  be  bound,  for  you 
Vept  looking  at  me,  as  though  you  mea*~t  something." 


84  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  What  makes  you  think  so  ?  Have  you  heard 
anything?"  asked  Wilton,  fearful  that  the  plot  had 
leaked  out. 

"  Not  a  word  ;    I  only  judged  by  your  looks." 

"I  suppose  if  anything  was  up,  you  wouldn't  have 
anything  to  do  with  it  now." 

"  Most  decidedly,  I  should  not.  I  like  my  present 
position  too  well  to  fall  out  of  it.  I'm  going  to  be 
captain  next  term,  if  I  can  fetch  it  any  way  in  the 
world." 

"  You  mean  to  be  a  flunky,  just  like  the  rest  of 
them.     You  are  not  the  same  fellow  you  used  to  be." 

"  Yes,  I  am." 

"  You  are  getting  too  big  for  your  boots." 

"  You  wrong  me,  Wilton.  I'm  just  as  good  a 
fellow  as  I  ever  was.  I  think  I'm  the  best  fellow  in 
the  ship,  and  for  that  reason  I  want  to  be  captain. 
I'm  ahead  of  Carnes  so  far  on  marks  this  month." 

"  Well,  if  you  want  to  be  the  head  flunky,  I  hope 
you'll  get  it.  We  are  not  going  ashore  to-morrow, 
they  say,"  added  Wilton,  changing  the  topic  to  get 
nearer  to  the  business  of  the  hour. 

"  So  Pelham  told  me." 

"  Are  you  willing  to  stay  on  board  and  study,  and 
do  ship's  duty,  on  the  Fourth  of  July  ?  " 

"  We  are  going  to  celebrate." 

"How?" 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know." 

"  We  shall  celebrate  to-morrow  just  as  we  do  every 
day —  as  close  prisoners  on  board  the  ship.  I,  for  one, 
tion't  like  it,  and  I  won't  stand  it." 

"  Won't  you  ?  "  laughed  Shuffles. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  8$ 

"  When  I  say  I  won't,  I  mean  so." 

"  O,  you  do  —  do  you  ?  " 

"  You  better  believe  I  do,"  added  Wilton,  shaking 
his  head  resolutely. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do? " 

"  I'm  going  ashore,  by  hook  or  by  crook." 

"  Better  not  get  into  any  scrape." 

"  You  say  that  as  one  of  the  flunkies." 

"  Well,  you  had  better  not  say  anything  to  me,  for 
I  shall  have  to  do  my  duty  as  an  officer.  Don't  say 
anything  to .  me,  and  then  I  shall  not  know  anything 
about  it." 

"  Humph  !  "  sneered  Wilton,  not  pleased  with  this 
non-committal  policy. 

"  I  don't  want  to  do  anything  mean  with  any  of  our 
fellows ;  so  don't  say  a  word  to  me.  I  shall  do  my 
duty  as  an  officer,  as  I  promised  to  do  when  I  was 
made  third  lieutenant." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  you  will  stop  me,  Shuffles,  if 
you  see  me  going?"  demanded  Wilton. 

"  I  do  mean  so  ;  I  promised  faithfully  to  do  my  duty 
as  an  officer,  and  I  shall  do  it." 

"  See  here,  Bob  Shuffles  ;  you  needn't  talk  to  me  in 
that  manner.  I  knew  the  ship's  cable  from  a  pint 
of  milk,  and  you  can't  come  the  flunky  over  me." 

"  I'm  going  to  do  just  as  you  would  do  if  you  were 
in  my  place.  I  won't  hear  a  word  about  any  of  youi 
plans." 

"  But  will  you  interfere  with  them?" 

"  If  it  is  my  duty  to  do  so,  I  shall.    I  intend  to  obey 
orders ;  and  if  I   have  the   deck,  I  shall  keep  thinga 
straight,  whatever  happens." 
8 


86  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  Lowington  don't  know  you  as  well  as  I  do." 

"  No  matter  if  he  don't ;  he  shall  have  no  fault  to 
find  with  me  this  term,  if  I  can  help  it." 

"  It's  no  use  for  me  to  mince  the  matter  with  you, 
Bob  Shuffles.  We  understand  each  other  too  well  for 
that.     Something's  up." 

Shuffles  turned  on  his  heel,  and  was  about  to  walk 
away. 

"  Hold  on  a  minute,  Shuffles,"  continued  Wilton. 
"  I  won't  tell  you  what's  up,  but  I'll  tell  you  this  :  if 
you  interfere  with  what  I  do,  or  with  what  the  fellows 
with  me  do,  I'll  tell  Lowington  about  the  mutiny  —  I 
will,  as  sure  as  your  name  is  Bob  Shuffles.  Do  you 
understand  me  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  do  ;  and  it  seems  to  me  that  sounds  very 
much  like  a  threat." 

u  Call  it  what  you  like.  If  you  turn  traitor  to  our 
fellows,  you  must  stand  the  racket  of  it.  You  are  not 
a  saint  just  yet,  and  those  that  live  in  glass  houses 
musn't  throw  stones." 

"  I  believe  I  haven't  played  false  to  any  of  our  fel- 
lows. If  I  don't  choose  to  get  into  any  scrape  with 
them,  I  have  a  right  to  keep  out.  That's  all  I've  got 
to  say." 

"  But  what  are  you  going  to  do,  Shuffles?  Oui 
fellows  will  want  to  know." 

"  I'm  going  to  do  my  duty,"  replied  the  third  lieu- 
tenant, as  he  walked  away,  regardless  of  the  efforts 
of  his   companion  to    detain   him. 

Shuffles  was  experiencing  the  truth  of  the  old 
maxim,  that  honesty  is  the  best  policy.  It  is  to  be 
regretted   that  his   present   devotion    to  duty  had  no 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  87 

higher  incentive  than  mere  policy ;  but  it  may  be 
hoped  of  those  who  do  their  duty  from  low  motives, 
that  they  may  gather  inspiration  even  from  their  politic 
fidelity  to  obey  its  behests  from  higher  motives.  The 
third  lieutenant  of  the  Young  America  intended  to 
keep  the  promise  he  had  made  in  accepting  his  office, 
simply  because  it  would  pay  best. 

Wilton  and  his  confederates  had  no  difficulty  in 
making  up  the  required  number  of  discontents  and 
malcontents  before  six  o'clock,  which  was  the  time 
fixed  for  carrying  out  the  enterprise  they  had  planned. 
Some  of  the  recruits  joined  because  they  anticipated  a 
good  time  in  the  city  in  celebrating  the  Fourth,  and 
others  from  a  mere  love  of  mischief  and  excitement. 
The  details  of  the  scheme  had  been  carefully  elabo- 
rated by  Monroe  and  Wilton,  after  the  ranks  of  the 
conspirators  were  full.  Having  learned  a  valuable 
lesson  from  the  daily  discipline  of  the  ship,  the  mis- 
chief was  certainly  well  planned.  Each  boy  was 
assigned  to  a  particular  position  in  the  boats,  and 
knew  on  what  thwart  he  was  to  sit,  and  which  oar  he 
was  to  pull. 

Wilton  and  Monroe,  as  the  master  spirits  of  the  en- 
terprise, were  to  run  out  first  on  the  swinging  boom, 
and  slide  down  the  painters,  each  into  the  boat  he  was 
to  command.  The  others  were  to  follow  in  the  same 
way,  descending  from  the  boom,  for  it  was  not  con' 
sidered  prudent  to  run  the  boats  up  to  the  gangway, 
where  some  enthusiastic  officer  might  easily  interfere 
with  the  plan,  which  was  to  depend  for  its  success 
upon  the  celerity  of  its  execution. 

When  four  bells  struck,  the  professors  went  down  to 


8S  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

their  evening  meal,  as  usual,  and  the  boatswain  piped 
the  port  watch  to  supper,  the  starboard  watch  having 
taken  theirs  at  three  bells,  or  half  past  five.  Wilton 
gave  a  low  whistle,  when  Shuffles,  officer  of  the  deck, 
was  abaft  the  mizzenmast,  with  his  back  to  the  runa- 
ways, who  had  gathered  in  the  waist,  and  were  waiting 
for  the  signal. 

"  Be  lively,  fellows,"  said  the  leader  of  the  enterprise, 
as  he  sprang  over  the  rail,  and  ran  out  on  the  boom, 
followed  by  Monroe. 

The  others,  in  the  order  in  which  they  had  been 
instructed,  did  the  same.  About  half  of  them  were 
on  the  boom,  when  the  movement  was  reported  to  the 
officer  of  the  deck  by  the  midshipman  on  duty  in  the 
waist.  Shuffles  rushed  forward,  now  understanding, 
for  the  first  time,  the  intentions  of  Wilton  ;  and  true  tt* 
the  inspiration  of  fidelity,  he  set  about  defeating  the 
object  of  "  our  fellows." 

The  studding-sail  boom,  to  which  the  boats  were 
fastened,  was  supported  by  a  topping-lift  from  above, 
and  kept  in  position,  at  right  angles  with  the  side  of 
the  ship,  by  guys  extending  forward  and  aft. 

"  Stand  by  that  fore  guy  !  "  shouted  Shuffles,  as  he 
sprang  upon  the  rail.     "  Cast  off  !  " 

"  Lively,  fellows  !  "  said  Wilton,  when  he  saw  that 
the  third  lieutenant  intended  to  swing  in  the  boom  to 
the  ship's  side. 

"  Stand  by  the  after  guy  of  the  studding-sail  boom  !  " 
continued  Shuffles,  with  becoming  energy. 

Both  his  orders  were  promptly  obeyed  ;  but  seeing 
that  his  movement  would  be  too  late,  he  rushed  to  the 
topping-lift,  and  cast  it  oft',  causing  the  swinging  boom 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  SO. 

to  drop  into  the  water,  just  as  the  last  boy  was 
about  to  slide  down  into  the  professors'  boat.  Of 
course  the  luckless  fellow  went  into  the  water  ;  but 
he  was  promptly  picked  up  by  his  companions  in 
mischief. 

"  If  I'm  caught,  Bob  Shuffles,  you  look  out  for 
breakers ! "  cried  Wilton,  as  the  third  lieutenant 
appeared  at  the  gangway  again. 

The  tide  was  coming  in,  and  the  boats  swung  so  far 
abaft  the  boom  that  it  had  fallen  clear  of  them  when 
it  dropped  into  the  water.  Wilton  and  Monroe  were 
prompt  to  avail  themselves  of  their  present  success, 
and  the  boys  sat  in  the  boats,  with  their  oars  up,  ready 
to  pull  as  soon  as  the  order  was  given. 

"  Let  fall !  "  said  Wilton  ;  and  the  eight  oars  of  the 
professors'  barge  dropped  into  the  water,  and  the 
rowers  placed  them  in  readiness  for  the  first  stroke. 

Monroe,  in  the  third  cutter,  followed  the  example 
of  his  principal,  and  was  hardly  a  second  behind  him. 

"  Give  way  !  "  added  Wilton. 

"  Give  way  !  "  repeated  Monroe  ;  and  the  two  boats 
gathered  way  and  darted  oft'  towards  the  nearest  point 
of  the  shore. 

Thus  far  the  enterprise  of  "  our  fellows  "  was  en- 
tirely successful,  and  Shuffles  stood  on  the  gangway, 
chagrined  at  the  defeat  which  had  attended  his  efforts 
to  prevent  the  escape  of  the  runaways. 

"  Stand  by  to  clear  away  the  first  cutter  !  "  shouted 
he,  suddenly  and  with  energy,  as  he  made  his  way  to 
the  davits,  where  the  boat  indicated  was  suspended. 

"  Cast  off  the  gripes,  and  man  the  falls  !  "  he  con- 
tinued, when  the  watch  were  collected  at  the  scene  of 
-8* 


GO  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

action.  "  Mr.  Kendall,  you  will  inform  the  captain 
what  has  happened." 

Within  three  minutes,  the  first  cutter  was  in  the 
water,  for  the  crew  had  been  frequently  exercised  in 
the  evolution  of  lowering  boats,  and  performed  it  with 
remarkable  facility  for  boys.  Before  the  first  cutter 
touched  the  water,  the  captain,  the  principal,  and  all 
the  professors,  came  on  deck. 

Mr.  Lowington  was  entirely  cool,  though  everybody 
else  appeared  to  be  intensely  excited.  The  crew  of 
the  first  cutter  were  piped  away,  and  at  the  principal's 
suggestion,  the  third  lieutenant  was  sent  off  in  the 
boat  to  prevent  the  landing  of  the  rebellious  pupils. 

"  Up  oars  !  Let  fall !  Give  way  !  "  said  Shuffles, 
in  the  boat,  delivering  his  orders  in  rapid  succession ; 
and  the  first  cutter  darted  off  in  chase  of  the  runaways. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  9I 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE    BOURTH    OF  JULY. 

THE  first  cutter  was  manned  by  her  regular  crew, 
who  had  been  trained  with  the  utmost  care  to 
pull  together,  while  Wilton,  in  the  professors'  barge, 
which  was  of  the  same  size,  had  some  very  indifferent 
oarsmen.  The  runaways  had  made  up  their  force  of 
such  material  as  they  could  obtain,  and  though  all 
were  somewhat  accustomed  to  rowing,  they  had  not 
been  drilled  to  work  together ;  they  were  not  the 
unit  of  power  in  pulling  a  boat.  Shuffles,  therefore, 
had  a  manifest  advantage,  and  he  was  determined  to 
bring  back  the  fugitives. 

The  second  cutter,  in  charge  of  Paul  Kendall,  was 
cleared  away,  and,  with  Mr.  Lowington  and  Mr. 
Fluxion  on  board,  left  the  ship  to  take  part  in  the  pur- 
suit. The  chase  promised  to  be  an  exciting  one,  for 
Wilton  and  Monroe  were  straining  every  nerve  to 
reach  the  shore  before  they  were  overtaken.  They 
were  making  for  the  nearest  land,  and  having  just  the 
number  of  hands  required  to  pull  the  boat,  each  of 
them  was  obliged  to  use  an  oar  himself.  They  had 
no  coxswains,  and  Wilton,  at  the  bow  oar  of  the  pro- 
fessors' barge,  could  not  see  what  was  ahead,  though 
he  kept  the  pursuing  boats  in  full  view. 


92  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

The  nearest  land,  not  more  than  half  a  mile  from 
the  ship,  was  a  point  covered  with  salt  marsh,  above 
which  was  a  cove,  whose  opening  was  about  ten  rods 
in  width.  Wilton  was  making  for  the  point  below  the 
cove,  but  his  calculations  were  made  without  judgment 
or  discretion.  If  he  reached  the  land,  his  party  would 
be  obliged  to  walk  a  mile  in  order  to  get  round  the 
cove,  on  a  narrow  strip  of  marsh,  where  they  might 
be  intercepted.  But  the  fatal  defect  in  his  plan  of 
operations  was  a  failure  to  consider  the  depth  of 
water  between  the  ship  and  the  point.  The  flow 
of  the  tide  from  the  cove,  while  it  kept  a  clear  chan- 
nel through  the  entrance,  had  formed  a  bar  off  the 
tongue  of  land  on  the  seaward  side  of  it,  which  was 
bare  at  half  tide,  and  was  now  just  covered.  Wilton 
was  pulling  for  this  bar,  with  all  the  strength  of  his 
crew. 

Shuffles  was  prompt  to  observe  the  mistake  of  his 
late  crony,  and  just  as  prompt  to  profit  by  it.  The 
first  cutter  was  gaining  rapidly  on  the  chase ;  but 
Shuffles,  as  she  reached  the  border  of  the  main  chan- 
nel, ordered  his  coxswain  to  keep  the  boat's  head 
towards  the  entrance  of  the  cove. 

"  We  shall  never  catch  them  on  this  tack,"  said  the 
coxswain  of  the  cutter,  who  knew  nothing  about 
the  bar. 

"  I  think  we  shall,"  replied  the  third  lieutenant, 
confidently. 

"  We  are  not  going  towards  the  point." 

"  That's  very  true,  and  the  professors'  barge  will  not 
go  much -farther  in  that  direction.  Pull  steady,  my 
lads  ;  don't  hurry  yourselves.    There  is  plenty  of  time/' 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  93 

The  coxswain  thought  his  superior  officer  was 
taking  the  matter  very  coolly,  and  knowing  of  the 
intimacy  which  had  formerly  subsisted  between  Shuf- 
fles and  Wilton,  he  was  ready  to  conclude  that  the 
third  lieutenant  was  willing  to  permit  the  escape  of 
"  our  fellows."  While  he  was  putting  this  construc- 
tion on  the  conduct  of  his  superior,  the  professors' 
barge  "  took  the  ground,"  and  stuck  fast. 

"  They're  aground,  Mr.  Shuffles,"  said  the  coxswain. 

"  There's  just  where  I  expected  them  to  be,"  an- 
swered Shuffles,  quietly. 

"  Shall  I  run  towards  them  ?  " 

"  No  ;  keep  her  as  she  is.  There  isn't  more  than  a 
foot  of  w^ater  anywhere  between  them  and  the  point." 

The  third  cutter,  being  a  smaller  boat  than  the  pro- 
fessors' barge,  did  not  touch  the  bar  as  soon  as  her 
consort ;  but  Monroe  saw  that  his  craft  could  not  land 
her  party  on  the  point  at  that  stage  of  the  tide,  and  he 
ordered  his  crew  first  to  lay  on  their  oars,  and  then  to 
back  water.  Wilton's  boat  was  aground  at  the  bow, 
and  when  he  had  sent  part  of  his  crew  aft,  she  was 
easily  pushed  off  the  bar.  By  this  delay  he  had  lost 
the  chance  of  landing  at  the  point,  and  his  only  alter- 
native was  to  pull  up  to  the  cove  ;  but  in  doing  so,  it 
would  be  impossible  to  avoid  the  first  cutter,  which 
had  now  secured  a  position  off  the  mouth  of  the  little 
bay. 

"  Stand  by  to  lay  on  your  oars,"  said  the  coxswain 
of  the  first  cutter,  as  directed  by  the  lieutenant  in  com- 
mand.    "  Oars !  " 

The  crew  ceased  rowing,  and  laying  on  their  oars, 
Waited  the  next  movement  of  the  runaways.     In  the 


94  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

mean  time  the  second  cutter  was  well  away  from  the 
ship,  and  Mr.  Lowington,  promptly  comprehending 
the  intentions  of  the  third  lieutenant,  directed  the 
officer  in  command  to  pull  towards  the  boats  on 
the  bar,  keeping  well  to  seaward,  in  order  to  prevent 
them  from  escaping  in  that  direction. 

Wilton  realized  that  he  was  cornered,  and  hoping 
that  Shuffles  would  not  be  over-zealous  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duty,  directed  his  course  towards  the 
opening  of  the  cove.  A  few  strokes  brought  him 
within  hailing  distance  of  the  first  cutter. 

"  No  use,  Wilton,"  said  Shuffles,  laughing.  "  You 
may  as  well  pull  for  the  ship.     It's  all  up  with  you." 

But  the  leader  of  the  runaways,  instead  of  heeding 
this  good  advice,  attempted  to  push  by  astern  of  the 
first  cutter. 

"  Stern,  all !  Give  way  !  "  shouted  Shuffles,  sharply. 
"  Coxswain,  stand  by  with  your  stern  line  !  " 

It  was  generally  understood  that  the  third  lieutenant 
of  the  Young  America  was  a  fighting  character,  and 
that  he  could  whip  any  officer  or  seaman  in  the  ship, 
though  his  prowess  had  not  been  practically  demon- 
strated. Shuffles  took  the  stern  line  himself,  instead 
of  intrusting  the  duty  to  the  coxswain.  He  intended 
to  grapple  the  bow  of  the  professors'  barge,  and 
make  fast  to  it  with  the  rope ;  but  the  cutter  did 
not  gather  way  enough  in  season  to  do  this.  As  she 
backed,  she  fouled  the  oars  of  the  barge,  and  Shuffles 
secured  a  firm  hold  of  her  stern. 

"What  are  you  doing,  Bob  Shuffles?"  demanded 
Wilton,  angry,  when  he  saw  that  his  late  crony  was 
fully  in  earnest. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  95 

The  third  lieutenant  made  no  reply  ;  but  passing  his 
rope  through  a  ring  in  the  stern  of  the  barge,  he  made 
it  fast,  and  then  pushed  the  cutter  off  from  her.  When 
the  line  had  run  out  about  a  fathom,  he  secured  the 
end  he  held  in  his  hand  to  the  after  thwart  of  his  own 
boat.  Thus  the  first  cutter  and  the  barge  were  lashed 
together,  stern  to  stern. 

"  Cast  off  that  rope  !  "  shouted  Wilton  to  the  stroke 
oarsman  in  the  barge. 

"  Don't  you  touch  it,  my  lad,"  interposed  Shuffles, 
when  the  boy  attempted  to  obey  the  order  of  his 
leader.  "  If  you  attempt  it,  you  will  purchase  a  sore 
head." 

The  third  lieutenant  had  picked  up  a  boat-hook,  and 
stood  ready  to  rap  any  of  the  barge's  crew  who  might 
attempt  to  cast  off  the  line  by  which  the  boats  were 
fastened  together.  No  one  was  disposed  to  cross  the 
purposes  of  so  formidable  a  person  as  Shuffles,  and 
the  stroke  oarsman  did  not  obey  the  order  of  Wilton. 
It  would  not  be  safe  to  do  so. 

"  Now,  Wilton,  what  do  you  say?"  demanded  Shuf- 
fles, a  smile  of  triumph  playing  upon  his  face,  which 
was  very  aggravating  to  the  leader  of  the  runaways. 
"  Will  you  go  back  to  the  ship,  or  not?  " 

"  No,  of  course  I  won't,"  replied  the  discomfited 
chief  of  the  malcontents. 

"  You  had  better,  my  dear  fellow.  There  comes 
Mr.  Lowington." 

"  I  didn't  think  this  of  you,  Bob  Shuffles,"  said 
Wilton,  reproachfully. 

"  I  told  you  I  should  do  my  duty ;  and  I  shall,  to 


96  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

the  end.  If  you  will  return,  all  right ;  if  not,  I  shall 
take  you  back." 

"  No,  you  won't." 

"  I  think  I  will,"  added  the  third  lieutenant,  quietly. 
"  Stand  by  to  give  way  !  "  he  continued,  to  the  cox- 
swain. 

"  Two  can  play  at  that  game,"  said  Wilton,  as  he 
gave  the  same  order  to  his  crew. 

"  Give  way  ! "  shouted  the  coxswain  of  the  first 
cutter,  with  energy. 

"  Give  way  !  "  repeated  Wilton,  in  the  barge.        | 

The  rope  straightened ;  Shuffles  stood  up  in  the 
stern-sheets  of  the  cutter,  to  prevent  the  line  from 
being  cast  off,  and  the  contest  began,  to  ascertain 
which  should  drag  the  other.  It  was  rather  ludi- 
crous, in  spite  of  the  serious  question  of  discipline 
involved  in  the  affair,  and  the  boys  in  the  cutter 
were  intensely  amused,  as  well  as  excited.  Both 
crews  struggled  with  all  their  might,  and  each  leader 
urged  his  followers  to  renewed  exertions. 

The  discipline  of  the  first  cutter  was  on  the  point  of 
carrying  the  contest  in  favor  of  law  and  order,  when 
Monroe,  seeing  that  his  friend  was  nearly  worsted, 
backed  the  third  cutter  up  to  the  bow  of  the  barge, 
and  took  her  painter  on  board,  which  he  made  fast  at 
the  stern.  Resuming  his  oar,  he  ordered  his  crew  to 
give  way  together.  Then  law  and  order  appeared  to 
be  at  a  discount,  for  the  eight  oarsmen  in  the  first 
cutter  were  not  a  match,  even  in  the  cause  of  disci- 
pline, against  the  fourteen  in  the  barge  and  third 
cutter. 

Shuffles   did    not  give    it   up,   notwithstanding   the 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  97 

great  odds  against  him.  Letting  out  the  stern  line 
far  enough  to  allow  space  for  a  new  manoeuvre,  he  di- 
rected the  starboard  oarsmen  to  lay  on  their  oars,  while 
those  on  the  port  side  pulled  the  boat  round.  Then 
all  gave  way  together,  and  the  barge  was  dragged 
round  sideways,  until  her  oars  fouled  with  those  of 
Monroe's  boat.  At  this  stage  of  the  exciting  proceed- 
ings, the  second  cutter  came  up  with  the  principal. 

Mr.  Fluxion  sat  in  the  stern-sheets,  shaking  his 
sides  with  laughter  at  the  singular  contest  which  was 
going  on ;  but  Mr.  Lowington,  though  evidently 
amused,  maintained  his  gravity,  and  was  as  dignified 
as  usual.  The  appearance  of  the  principal  ended  the 
struggle.  A  glance  from  him  was  quite  sufficient 
to  take  all  the  stiffening  out  of  the  runaways,  and 
even  Wilton,  though  he  talked  valiantly  behind  Mr. 
Lowington's  back,  and  neglected  even  to  give  him  the 
simple  title  of  "  mister,"  had  not  the  courage  to  resist 
the  strong  arm  of  his  authority.  As  the  second  cutter 
backed  up  to  the  barge,  the  principal  stepped  on 
board  of  her,  and  took  a  seat  in  the  stern-sheets. 

"  Young  gentlemen,  you  will  return  to  the  ship," 
said  Mr.  Lowington,  sternly,  as  he  took  the  tiller- 
ropes  in  his  hands.     "  Give  way  !  " 

The  malcontents  had  no  thought  of  further  resist- 
ance. The  presence  of  the  principal  was  sufficient 
to  overcome  all  insubordination  ;  they  did  not  dare  to 
disobey  him.  Mechanically  they  bent  to  their  oars, 
and  without  a  word  pulled  back  to  the  ship. 

Mr.  Fluxion,  by  direction  of  Mr.  Lowington,  had 
taken  his  place  in  Monroe's  boat,  and  followed  the 
barge,  the  two  cutters  bringing  up  the  rear.  This  was 
9 


98  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

the  first  instance  of  flagrant  insubordination  which  had 
occurred  since  the  organization  of  the  ship's  company, 
and  the  students  were  not  a  little  anxious  to  learn  how 
it  would  be  treated.  It  was  singular  that  Shuffles, 
who  on  shore  had  always  been  the  ringleader  in  en- 
terprises of  mischief,  had  been  the  means  of  defeating 
the  scheme  of  the  runaways. 

The  boats  were  hoisted  up  at  the  davits,  and  the 
boatswain  was  ordered  to  pipe  all  hands  on  deck. 
The  principal  looked  calm,  but  stern,  as  he  took  the 
position  on  the  hatch  which  he  usually  occupied  when 
he  addressed  the  students. 

"  Wilton  and  Monroe,"  said  he. 

The  culprits  came  forward,  hanging  their  heads 
with  shame. 

"  I  learn  that  you  are  the  ringleaders  in  this  move- 
ment.    Is  it  so?" 

"  I  suppose  we  are,"  replied  Wilton. 

"  Who  proposed  the  plan  ?  " 

"  Wilton  first  spoke  to  me  about  it,"  answered 
Monroe. 

"  And  you  induced  the  others  to  join  you?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  As  the  ringleaders,  Wilton  and  Monroe  will  lose 
twenty  marks  each,  and  remain  in  their  mess  rooms 
to-morrow.  The  other  twelve  lose  ten  marks  each," 
continued  Mr.  Lowington.  "  Young  gentlemen,  those 
who  have  engaged  in  this  scheme  are  not  to  be 
trusted.     I  have  nothing  further  to  say." 

The  crew  were  dismissed,  and  all  the  students  were 
disposed  to  laugh  at  the  mildness  of  the  punishment, 
compared  with  the  enormity  of  the  offence. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  99 

"  Mr.  Shuffles,"  said  the  principal,  as  he  stepped 
down  from  the  hatch,  "  I  am  very  much  obliged  to 
you  for  the  zeal  and  energy  which  you  have  exhibited 
in  the  discharge  of  your  duty.  Not  only  was  your 
disposition  to  do  your  duty  highly  commendable,  but 
your  plans  displayed  skill  and  forethought." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  replied  the  third  lieutenant ;  4t  1 
am  very  glad  to  have  pleased  you." 

Mr.  Lowington  bowed,  and  descended  to  the  cabin 
to  finish  his  supper,  which  had  been  interrupted  by 
the  event  described.  What  the  professors  said  about 
the  affair  was  not  known  to  the  boys ;  but  Shuffles 
was  warmly  praised  for  the  moderate  but  skilful  meas- 
ures he  had  used  in  the  capture  of  the  rebels. 

At  sundown,  a  shore  boat  came  alongside  with  an 
abundant  supply  of  fireworks,  which  had  been  ordered 
by  Mr.  Lowington.  They  were  hoisted  on  board,  and 
deposited  in  a  safe  place.  At  the  usual  hour,  the  boys 
turned  in  to  dream  of  the  good  time  which  these  squibs 
and  crackers  suggested  to  them  —  all  but  Monroe  and 
Wilton,  who  had  something  else  to  think  about.  The 
latter  was  disappointed  and  surly,  while  the  former 
congratulated  himself  upon  getting  out  of  the  scrape 
so  easily.  Wilton  was  very  angry  with  Shuffles,  who 
might  have  permitted  him  to  land,  if  he  had  been  so 
disposed  ;  and  he  determined  to  take  what  he  consid- 
ered an  ample  vengeance  upon  the  traitor.  As  soon 
as  he  had  ah  opportunity  to  speak  to  Mr.  Lowington, 
he  intended  to  tell  him  all  about  the  plan  for  a  mutiny, 
and  he  was  fully  satisfied  that  Shuffles  would  be  sent 
in  disgrace  from  his  pleasant  position  in  the  after 
cabin,  to  take  up  his  abode  in  the  steerage  again. 


IOO  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

On  the  morning  of  the  ever-glorious  Fourth,  all 
hands  were  mustered  on  the  deck  of  the  Young  Amer- 
ica at  four  o'clock.  Crackers  were  served  out,  and 
for  two  hours  there  was  a  tremendous  racket  from 
stem  to  stern,  among  the  younger  boys.  At  six 
o'clock,  the  port  watch  were  piped  to  breakfast,  and 
all  the  crackers  having  been  burned,  the  decks  were 
swept,  and  everything  put  in  perfect  order,  by  the 
starboard  Watch.  A  band  of  music,  engaged  for  the 
day,  came  off,  and  the  enlivening  strains  of  the  national 
airs  sounded  through  the  ship. 

At  seven  o'clock,  when  all  hands  had  breakfasted, 
an  hour  earlier  than  usual,  the  crew  were  piped  to 
muster,  wondering,  as  they  always  did,  what  was 
going  to  be  done. 

"  All  hands,  up  anchor  ahoy !  "  shouted  the  boat- 
swain, prompted  by  the  first  lieutenant ;  but  this  order 
was  so  common  in  the  every-day  practice  of  the  crew, 
that  no  one  supposed  it  had  any  unusual  significance ; 
and  some  of  the  boys  even  began  to  grumble  at  being 
compelled  to  go  through  the  routine  of  ship's  work  on 
the  Fourth  of  July. 

"  Bring  to  on  the  cable,  and  unbitt !  "  continued  the 
officer  in  command.  "  Ship  the  capstan  bars,  and 
swifter  them  !     Heave  in  the  cable  to  a  short  stay  !  " 

These  orders  were  duly  executed,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  various  officers  -at  their  stations. 

"  Avast  heaving  !  "  called  the  first  master.  "  Anchor 
apeak,  sir,"  he  reported  to  the  first  lieutenant. 

"  Pawl  the  capstan,  stopper  the  cable,  and  unship 
the  bars !  "  added  the  executive  officers,  all  of  which 
was  done,  and  duly  reported. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  lOl 

"  Stations  for  loosing  topsails  !  "  which  were  shaken 
out  by  the  ordinary  routine,  sheeted  home,  and  hoist- 
ed up. 

"  Forecastlemen,  loose  the  head  sails  !  After-guard, 
clear  away  the  spanker !  Man  the  capstan  bars,  ship 
and  swifter  them  !     Heave  around  !  " 

This  last  was  a  manoeuvre  which  the  crew  had 
never  before  been  called  upon  to  perform  ;  and  the 
order  sent  a  thrill  of  delight  to  all  hearts.  The  cable 
had  often  been  heaved  to  a  short  stay,  that  is,  so  that 
it  run  nearly  up  and  down ;  but  that  was  as  far  as 
they  had  ever  before  been  permitted  to  proceed.  Now, 
with  the  anchor  apeak,  they  were  ordered  to  the  cap- 
stan again,  and  they  realized  that  the  Young  America 
was  actually  going  to  sea.  The  command  kindled  an 
enthusiasm  which  glowed  on  every  face.  The  ship 
was  going  out  of  the  harbor,  and  the  evil  doers  in  the 
mess  rooms  below  were  to  be  pitied. 

"  Anchor  aweigh,  sir,"  reported  the  excited  boat- 
swain, who,  however,  had  to  be  prompted  in  this  in- 
stance by  Peaks,  for  it  had  never  been  in  that  position 
before  since  it  first  hooked  the  mud  in  Brockway 
harbor. 

"  Anchor  aweigh,  sir,"  repeated  the  second  lieu- 
tenant. 

"  Man  the  jib  and  flying-jib  halyards !  "  said  the 
first  lieutenant. 

"Anchor's  at  the  bow,  sir,"  said  the  boatswain, 
which  report  went  through  the  same  channels  as 
before,  till  it  reached  the  executive  officer. 

"  Hoist  away  on  the  jib  and  flying-jib  halyards ! 
Avast  heaving !  Pawl  the  capstan !  Stopper  the 
9* 


ro2  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

cable !  Cat  and  fish  the  anchor !  "  shouted  the  first 
lieutenant.     "  Port  the  helm  I  " 

The  Young  America  was  clear  of  the  ground.  The 
fore  topsail,  which  had  been  trimmed  to  the  fresh 
breeze,  was  full,  and  the  ship  began  to  gather  head- 
way. Two  seamen  had  been  placed  at  the  wheel, 
under  the  charge  of  the  quartermaster.  The  boys  had 
often  "  made  believe  "  do  these  things,  but  now  they 
were  real.  The  vessel  was  actually  moving  through 
the  water,  and  they  could  hardly  contain  themselves, 
so  exhilarating  was  the  scene. 

"  Steady  !  "  said  the  first  lieutenant,  when  the.  ship 
had  come  up  to  her  intended  course. 

"  Steady,  sir,"  repeated  the  quartermaster  in  charge 
of  the  helm. 

"  Stand  by  to  set  the  spanker,'*  added  the  first 
lieutenant.  "  Man  the  outhaul !  Cast  off  the  brails, 
and  loose  the  vangs !  " 

The  after-guard,  which  is  the  portion  of  the  ship's 
company  stationed  on  the  quarter-deck,  or  abaft  the 
mizzenmast,  obeyed  this  order,  and  stood  ready  to  set 
the  spanker,  which  is  the  aftermost  sail. 

"  Walk  away  with  the  outhaul !  "  and  the  after- 
guard ran  off  with  the  rope,  which  drew  the  sail  out 
into  its  place  on  the  gaff.  "  Stand  by  the  spanker 
sheet  —  let  it  out !  " 

"  You  must  attend  to  your  main  and  mizzen  top- 
sails, Mr.  Pelham,"  said  the  principal,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Man  the  fore  and  main  braces  !  "  said  the  execu- 
tive officer ;  and  the  young  seamen  sprang  to  their 
stations.     "  Let  go  and  haul !  " 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  I03 

The  main  and  the  mizzen  topsails  were  thus  trimmed, 
so  that  they  took  the  wind. 

"  That  was  very  well  done,  Captain  Carnes,  though 
your  crew  need  more  practice.  They  are  very  much 
excited,"  said  Mr.  Lowington. 

"  I  don't  wonder,  sir ;  I  think  none  of  them 
knew  we  were  going  out  of  the  harbor,"  replied  the 
captain. 

"  I  am  glad  they  enjoy  it,"  added  the  principal, 
"  though  I  should  not  have  left  the  anchorage,  except 
as-a  substitute  for  the  Fourth  of  July  celebration." 

"  They  will  like  this  much  better  than  going  to  the 
city." 

44  I  have  no  doubt  on  that  point ;  and  last  evening, 
when  those  students  wished  to  run  away,  I  was  tempt- 
ed to  punish  their  disobedience  by  letting  them  go. 
The  wind  is  pretty  fresh,  Captain  Carnes,  but  I  think 
you  may  set  the  top-gallant  sails." 

The  captain  gave  the  order  to  the  first  lieutenant. 

"  Aloft,  sail-loosers  of  the  top-gallant  sails  !  "  shout- 
ed Mr.  Pelham  ;  and  the  eager  young  salts  dashed  up 
the  rigging.  "  Lay  out !  Loose !  Let  fall !  Man 
your  sheets  and  halyards !  Sheets  home,  and  hoist 
away !  " 

The  addition  of  the  top-gallant  sails  was  sensibly 
felt  by  the  Young  America  ;  and,  "  taking  a  bone  in 
her  teeth,"  she  careened  over,  and  dashed  away  mer- 
rily on  her  course. 

The  band  played  Hail,  Columbia,  and  as  the  ship 
passed  the  fort,  the  crew  mounted  the  rigging  and  gave 
three  cheers.  The  excitement  on  board  was  immense, 
^nd  never  was  Independence   Day  more  thoroughly 


104  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

and  enthusiastically  enjoyed.  The  officers  and  crew 
were  at  the  height  of  felicity,  as  the  gallant  little  ship 
bowled  over  the  waves,  threading  her  way  through  the 
channels  between  the  numerous  islands  of  the  bay. 

"  Can't  we  put  on  any  more  sail,  Mr.  Lowington  ?  " 
asked  Captain  Carnes,  as  he  met  the  principal  on  the 
quarter-deck. 

"  Not  at  present.  We  are  making  very  good  prog- 
ress now." 

"  The  boys  want  to  see  all  sail  on  her." 
"  The  wind  is  blowing  half  a  gale  now,"  added  Mr. 
Lowington,  with  a  smile.     "  I  think  we  shall  be  able 
to  give  them  quite  enough  of  it  when  we  get  out  into 
blue  water.     I'm  afraid  you  will  lose  half  your  crew 
before  noon  ! " 
"Lose  them?" 
"  By  seasickness,  I  mean." 
"  Do  you  think  they  will  be  sick,  sir?  " 
u  I  have  no  doubt  of  it.     Many  of  them  never  saw 
the  ocean  before,  and  never  looked  upon  a  ship  till 
they  came  on  board  of  the  Young  America.     I  don't 
think  it  would   be  prudent  to  put  on  all    sail,   until 
we  know  what  force  we  are  to  have  to   handle  the 
ship." 

"  They  don't  look  like  being  seasick  at  present." 
"  Wait  till  we  get  out  into  the  heavy  sea,"  laughed 
the  principal,  as  he  went  forward. 

At  eight  bells  the  ship  was  abreast  of  the  last  island, 
and  she  began  to  pitch  and  roll  a  little,  though  the 
motion  was  hardly  perceptible,  until  she  was  well  off 
from  the  land.  Professor  Paradyme  was  the  first  vic- 
tim of  seasickness,  and  the  boys  all   laughed  wher* 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  IO5 

they  saw  the  woe-begone  expression  on  the  face  of 
the  learned  man  ;  but  some  of  those  who  laughed  the 
loudest  were  the  first  to  be  taken  by  the  ridiculous 
malady. 

The  Young  America  pitched  and  rolled  heavily  as 
she  receded  from  the  land,  and  nothing  more  was  said 
by  the  students  about  putting  on  more  sail.  The 
spray  broke  over  the  bow,  and  washed  the  decks  ;  but 
most  of  the  boys  enjoyed  the  scene  as  they  had  never 
enjoyed  anything  before. 

"What  are  you  doing  here,  sir?"  demanded  Mr. 
Lowington,  as  he  went  forward,  and  discovered  Wil- 
ton skulking  under  the  lee  of  the  foremast.  "  You 
were  told  to  stay  in  your  mess  room,  sir !  " 

"  I  couldn't,  sir,"  whined  the  culprit. 

"  You  could,  and  you  will." 

"  I  was  seasick,  sir." 

"  I  can't  help  it ;  you  must  stay  in  your  mess  room," 
added  the  principal,  sternly. 

"  If  you  please,  sir,  I  will  obey  orders  if  you  will 
let  me  stay  on  deck,"  said  Wilton,  humbly. 

"  No  ;  return  to  your  room  ;  "  and  Wilton  was  com- 
pelled to  obey. 

It  was  a  very  severe  punishment  to  him  and  Mon. 
roe  to  be  obliged  to  stay  in  the  steerage  during  the 
first  trip  of  the  Young  America. 


Io6  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 


CHAPTER  VII. 


HEAVING     THE     LOG. 


THE  Young  America,  under  topsails  and  t©p- 
gallant  sails,  was  making  about  ten  knots  an 
hour.  After  passing  the  last  island  in  the  bay,  she 
was  headed  to  the  south-east,  which  brought  the  wind 
over  the  starboard  quarter.  The  ship  was  of  the 
clipper  class,  though  not  as  sharp  as  many  of  this 
model.  It  was  found  that  her  sailing  ability  was 
excellent,  and  Mr.  Lowington  and  Mr.  .Fluxion  ex- 
pressed much  satisfaction  at  her  performance,  both  in 
respect  of  speed  and  weatherly  qualities. 

When  the  ship  left  her  moorings,  the  principal  had 
not  decided  where  to  go,  or  how  long  to  remain  at  sea, 
intending  to  be  governed  by  the  circumstances  of  the 
hour.  It  had  never  been  his  purpose  to  keep  her  at 
one  anchorage,  but  to  go  from  port  to  port,  remaining 
a  few  days  or  a  few  weeks  at  each,  as  the  discipline  of 
the  ship  and  the  progress  of  the  boys  in  their  studies 
suggested.  There  were  many  elements  of  seaman- 
ship which  could  not  be  effectively  practised  while  the 
ship  lay  at  anchor,  such  as  heaving  the  log,  sounding 
and  steering,  though  the  boys  had  been  carefully 
instructed  in  the  theory  of  these  operations. 

The   instructor  in  mathematics,  the  boatswain,  the 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  IO7 

carpenter,  and  the  sailmaker,  all  of  whom  were  good 
seamen,  were  in  great  demand  as  soon  as  the  ship  was 
under  way ;  but  when  she  had  sea-room  enough,  the 
helm  was  handed  over  to  the  boys,  under  the  charge 
of  a  juvenile  quartermaster.  Peaks  stood  by,  and 
gave  the  necessary  directions,  till  the  students  were 
able  to  do  the  work  themselves. 

"  Now,  my  lads,  we  will  heave  the  log,"  said  the 
boatswain,  when  the  ship  was  well  out  from  the  land. 

"  We  know  how  to  do  that,"  replied  Smith,  one  of 
the  quartermasters. 

"  I  dare  say  you  do,  young  gentlemen  ;  but  in  my 
opinion,  you  can't  do  it.  You  know  how  to  write  a 
psalm,  but  I  don't  believe  you  could  write  one," 
added  Peaks.  "  You  have  to  learn  how  to  do  these 
things  by  the  feeling,  so  that  they  will  do  themselves, 
so  to  speak.  After-guard,  stand  by  to  haul  in  the  log- 
line.  Here,  quartermaster,  you  will  hold  the  glass, 
and  the  officer  of  the  deck  will  throw  the  chip." 

"  We  know  all  about  it,  Mr.  Peaks,"  repeated 
Smith. 

"  I  know  you  do  ;  but  you  can't  tell  within  five  knots 
how  fast  the  ship  is  going,"  laughed  the  boatswain. 
"  Let's  do  it  right  a  few  times,  and  then  you  can  be 
trusted." 

The  quartermaster  took  the  glass,  and  Gordon,  then 
officer  of  the  watch,  the  chip,  which  he  cast  into  the 
water  over  the  stern  of  the  ship. 

"  Turn !  "  said  he,  when  the  stray  line  had  run 
out. 

Now,  Smith,  at  this  particular  moment,  was  watch- 
ing a  vessel  over  the  quarter,  and  he  did  not  instantly 


IOS  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 


turn  the  glass,  as  he  should  have  done ;  but  Peaks 
said  nothing. 

"  Up  !  "  cried  the  quartermaster,  when  the  sand  had 
all  run  through  the  glass. 

Gordon  stopped  the  reel  from  which  the  line  was 
running  out,  and  noted  the  mark. 

"  Seven  knots,"  said  he. 

"  Not  right,"  replied  the  boatswain,  sharply.  "  This 
ship  is  going  nine  or  ten  knots  an  hour,  and  any  man 
who  has  snuffed  salt  water  for  six  months  could  guess 
nearer  than  you  make  it.  Now  try  it  once  again,  and 
if  you  don't  hit  nearer  than  that  next  time,  you  may 
as  well  throw  the  reel  overboard,  and  hire  a  Yankee 
to  guess  the  rate  of  sailing." 

"  I  thought  we  knew  all  about  it,"  added  Smith. 

"  I  think  you  do,  young  gentlemen  ;  but  you  were 
star-gazing  when  you  ought  to  have  been  all  attention. 
The  line  ran  out  two  or  three  knots  before  you  turned 
the  glass." 

Gordon  took  the  chip  again.  It  was  a  thin  piece 
of  board,  in  the  form  of  a  quarter  circle.  The  round 
side  was  loaded  with  just  lead  enough  to  make  it  float 
upright  in  the  water.  The  log-line  was  fastened  to 
the  chip,  just  as  a  boy  loops  a  kite,  two  strings  being 
attached  at  each  end  of  the  circular  side,  while  the 
one  at  the  angle  is  tied  to  a  peg,  which  is  inserted  in  a 
hole,  just  hard  enough  to  keep  it  in  place,  while  there 
is  no  extra  strain  on  the  board,  but  which  can  be  drawn 
out  with  a  smart  pull.  When  the  log-line  has  run  out 
as  far  as  desired,  there  would  be  some  difficulty  in 
hauling  in  the  chip  while  it  was  upright  in  the  water ; 
but  a  sudden  jerk  draws  the  peg  at  the  angle,  and 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  IO9 

permits  the  board  to  lie  flat,  in  which  position  the 
water  offers  the  least  resistance  to  its  passage. 

The  half-minute  glass  used  on  board  the  Young 
America,  held  by  the  quartermaster,  was  like  an  houl 
glass,  and  contained  just  sand  enough  to  pass  through 
the  hole  in  the  neck  in  thirty  seconds.  The  log-line 
was  one  hundred  and  fifty  fathoms  in  length,  and  was 
wound  on  a  reel,  which  turned  very  easily,  so  that  the 
resistance  of  the  chip  to  the  water  would  unwind  it. 
The  log-line  is  divided  into  certain  spaces  called  knots, 
the  length  of  each  of  which  is  the  same  fractional  part 
of  a  mile  that  a  half  minute  is  of  an  hour.  If  there 
be  sixty-one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  in  a  nautical 
mile,  or  the  sixtieth  part  of  a  degree  of  a  great  cir- 
cle, which  is  not  far  from  accurate,  and  the  ship  be 
going  ten  knots  an  hour,  she  will  run  sixty-one 
thousand  two  hundred  feet  in  an  hour.  If  the  chip 
were  thrown  overboard  at  eight  o'clock,  and  the  line 
were  long  enough,  the  ship  would  have  run  out  sixty- 
one  thousand  two  hundred  feet,  or  ten  miles,  at  nine 
o'clock,  or  in  one  hour.  In  one  minute  she  would  run 
one  sixtieth  of  sixty-one  thousand  two  hundred  feet, 
which  is  ten  hundred  and  twenty  feet ;  in  half  a 
minute,  five  hundred  and  ten  feet. 

The  half-minute  glass  is  the  measure  of  time  gen- 
erally used  in  heaving  the  log.  While  the  sand  is 
dropping  through,  the  line  runs  out  five  hundred  and 
ten  feet,  the  ship  going  ten  knots  an  hour  being  the 
basis  of  the  calculation.  One  knot,  therefore,  will  be 
fifty-one  feet.  If  the  line  pays  out  five  hundred  and 
ten  feet  in  thirty  seconds,  by  the  glass,  the  ship  is 
going  ten  knots  an  hour.  If  it  pays  out  four  hundred 
10 


IIO  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

and  eight  feet  in  half  a  minute,  or  eight  hundred  and 
sixteen  feet  in  a  minute,  she  will  pay  out  a  mile  in  as 
many  minutes  as  eight  hundred  and  sixteen  feet  is 
contained  in  sixty-one  hundred  and  twenty  feet,  which 
is  seven  and  a  half  minutes.  Then  the  ship  goes  a 
mile  in  seven  and  a  half  minutes,  or  eight  miles  an 
hour. 

A  knot  on  the  log-line  is  therefore  invariably  fifty- 
one  feet ;  and  the  number  of  knots  of  the  line  run  out 
in  half  a  minute  indicates  also  the  ship's  speed  per 
hour,  for  fifty-one  feet  is  the  same  part  of  a  nautical 
mile  that  half  a  minute  is  of  an  hour.  The  calcula- 
tions are  given  without  allowances,  merely  to  show 
the  principle ;  and  both  the  glass  and  the  line  are 
modified  in  practice. 

On  board  the  Young  America,  ten  fathoms  were 
allowed  for  "  stray  line  ; "  this  length  of  line  being 
permitted  to  run  out  before  the  measuring  commenced, 
in  order  to  get  the  chip  clear  of  the  eddies  in  the  wake 
of  the  ship.  The  ten  fathoms  were  indicated  by  a 
white  rag,  drawn  through  the  line ;  and  when  the 
officer  paying  out  comes  to  this  mark,  he  orders  the 
quartermaster  to  turn  the  glass,  and  the  operation 
actually  begins.  At  every  fifty-one  feet  (or  forty- 
seven  and  six  tenths,  making  the  allowances)  there  is 
a  mark — a  bit  of  leather,  or  two  or  more  knots. 
The  instant  the  sands  have  all  run  through  the  glass, 
the  quartermaster  says,  "  Up,"and  the  officer  notes  the 
mark  to  which  the  line  has  run  out.  Half  and  quarter 
knots  are  indicated  on  the  line. 

"  Now,  quartermaster,  mind  your  eye.  When  the 
officer  of  the  deck  says,  '  Turn/  you  repeat  the  word 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  Ill 

after  him,  to  show  that  you  are  alive,"  continued 
Peaks. 

"  Ready  !  "  said  Gordon. 

"  Ready  !  "  replied  Smith. 

The  lieutenant  threw  the  chip  into  the  water,  and 
when  the  stray  line  had  run  off,  he  gave  the  word  to 
turn  the  glass. 

"  Turn  !  "  repeated  Smith. 

Gordon  eased  off  the  log-line,  so  that  nothing  should 
prevent  it  from  running  easily. 

"  Up  !  "  shouted  Smith  ;  and  Gordon  stopped  the 
line. 

"  Very  well,"  added  Peaks.     "  What's  the  mark?" 

"  Ten  and  a  quarter,"  replied  the  officer. 

"  That  sounds  more  like  it.  I  knew  this  ship  was 
going  more  than  seven  knots.  You  see,  young 
gentlemen,  you  can't  catch  flies  and  tend  the  log- 
line  at  the  same  time.  Now,  you  may  try  it  over 
again." 

The  experiment  was  repeated,  with  the  same  re^ 
suit.  Other  officers  and  seamen  were  called  to  the 
quarter-deck,  and  the  training  in  heaving  the  log 
continued,  until  a  reasonable  degree  of  proficiency 
was  attained. 

"  Land  ho  ! "  cried  the  lookout  on  the  top-gallant 
forecastle,  at  about  eleven  o'clock  in  the  forenoon. 

"  Where  away  ?  "  called  the  officer  of  the  deck. 

"  Dead  ahead,  sir." 

"  What  is  that  land,  Mr.  Lowington  ?  "  asked  Paul 
Kendall. 

"  Don't  you  know  ?  " 

u  I'm  sure  I  don't." 


112  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  Then  you  should  study  your  map  more.  Look  at 
the  compass,  and  tell  me  how  she  heads." 

"  South-east,  sir,"  replied  Paul,  after  looking  into 
the  binnacle. 

"  Now,  what  land  lies  south-east  of  Brockway  Har- 
bor?" asked  the  principal. 

"  Cape  Cod,  I  think." 

"  You  are  right ;  then  that  must  be  Cape  Cod." 

"Is  it,  really?" 

"  Certainly  it  is,"  laughed  Mr.  Lowington.  "  Have 
you  no  faith  in  your  map?  " 

"  I  didn't  think  we  could  be  anywhere  near  Cape 
Cod.  I  thought  it  was  farther  off,"  added  Paul,  who 
seemed  to  be  amazed  to  think  they  had  actually  crossed 
Massachusetts  Bay. 

"  The  land  you  see  is  Race  Point,  which  is  about 
forty  miles  from  the  entrance  to  the  bay,  at  the  head 
of  which  Brockway  is  located.  We  have  been  making 
about  ten  knots  an  hour,  and  our  calculations  seem  to 
be  very  accurate.  By  one  o'clock  we  shall  come  to 
anchor  in  Provincetown  Harbor." 

This  prediction  was  fully  verified,  and  the  Young 
America  was  moored  off  the  town.  Those  who  had 
been  seasick  recovered  as  soon  as  the  motion  of  the 
ship  ceased ;  and  when  everything  aloft  and  on  deck 
had  been  made  snug,  the  crew  were  piped  to  dinner. 

In  the  afternoon,  part  of  the  students  were  per- 
mitted to  go  on  shore  ;  the  band  played,  and  several 
boat-races  took  place,  very  much  to  the  delight  of 
the  people  on  shore,  as  well  as  those  on  board.  At 
six  o'clock  the  ship  was  opened  for  the  reception 
of  visitors,  who  came  off  in  large  numbers  to  inspect 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  II3 

the  vessel.  After  dark  there  was  a  brilliant  display 
of  fireworks,  and  the  Young  America  blazed  with 
blue-lights  and  Roman  candles,  set  off  by  boys  on 
the  cross-trees,  and  at  the  yard-arms.  At  ten  the  fes- 
tivities closed,  and  all  was  still  in  the  steerage  and  on 
deck. 

The  next  morning,  the  ship  got  under  way,  and 
stood  out  of  the  harbor,  bound  for  Brockway  again. 
She  had  a  light  breeze,  and  a  smooth  time,  and  the 
boys  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  every  rag  of  can- 
vas spread,  including  studding-sails  alow  and  aloft; 
but  it  was  not  till  after  dark  that  the  ship  came  to 
anchor  at  her  former  moorings. 

Wilton  and  Monroe  were  released  from  confinement 
in  the  morning,  and  permitted  to  go  on  deck.  What- 
ever their  shipmates  might  have  said,  they  felt  that  they 
had  been  severely  punished,  especially  as  they  had 
failed  in  their  runaway  expedition.  Wilton  did  not 
feel  any  more  kindly  towards  Shuffles  when  he  was 
released  than  when  he  had  been  ordered  to  his  room. 
He  felt  that  his  late  crony  had  been  a  traitor,  and  he 
was  unable  to  take  any  higher  view  of  the  circum- 
stances. 

"  Wilton,"  said  Mr.  Lowington,  when  he  met  the 
runaway  on  deck,  the  day  after  the  Fourth,  "  I  told 
you  that  you  had  made  a  mistake.  Do  you  believe 
it  yet?" 

"  I  suppose  I  do,  sir." 

"  You  suppose  you  do  !     Don't  you  know?  " 

u  Yes,  sir,  I  think  I  did  make  a  mistake,"  replied 
Wilton,  who  found  it  very  hard  to  acknowledge  tha 
fact. 

10* 


114  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  I  do  not  refer  to  your  punishment,  when  I  alluda 
to  the  consequences  of  your  misdeed,  for  that  was  very 
light.  You  have  fallen  very  low  in  the  estimation  of 
your  superiors." 

"  Do  you  mean  Mr.  Shuffles,  sir?  " 

"  I  did  not  mean  the  officers  exclusively,  though  1 
believe  they  have  a  proper  respect  for  the  discipline  of 
the  ship." 

"  I  don't  think  Shuffles  need  to  say  anything." 

"  He  hasn't  said  anything." 

"  He  is  worse  than  I  am." 

"  Shuffles  has  done  very  well,  and  merits  the  appro- 
bation of  the  principal  and  the  instructors." 

"  They  don't  know  him  as  well  as  I  do,"  growled 
Wilton. 

"  They  probably  know  him  better.  Your  remarks 
do  not  exhibit  a  proper  spirit  towards  an  officer.  He 
defeated  your  plan  to  escape,  but  he  did  no  more  than 
his  duty.  He  would  have  been  blamed,  perhaps  pun- 
ished, if  he  had  done  any  less." 

"  I  don't  find  any  fault  with  him  for  doing  his  duty, 
but  I  don't  like  to  be  snubbed  by  one  who  is  worse 
than  I  am.  If  you  knew  what  I  know,  sir,  you  would 
turn  him  out  of  the  after  cabin." 

"  Then  it  is  fortunate  for  him  that  I  don't  know 
what  you  know,"  replied  Mr.  Lowington,  sternly. 
"  If  you  wish  to  injure  him  in  my  estimation,  you 
will  not  succeed." 

"  He  is  going  to  get  up  a  mutiny  one  of  these  days. 
He  told  me  all  about  it,"  continued  Wilton,  desper* 
ately,  when  he  found  that  the  principal  was  in  no 
mood  to  listen  to  his  backbiting. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  II5 

"  That  will  do,  Wilton  ;  I  don't  wish  to  hear  any- 
thing more  about  that  matter.  Your  testimony  against 
Shuffles,  under  present  circumstances,  is  not  worth  the 
breath  you  use  in  uttering  it." 

"  I  thought  it  was  my  duty  to  tell  you,  if  any  one 
was  trying  to  get  up  a  mutiny." 

"  You  did  not  think  so  ;  you  are  telling  me  this 
story  to  revenge  yourself  against  the  third  lieutenant 
for  his  fidelity.  Whether  there  is,  or  is  not,  any  truth 
in  what  you  say,  I  shall  take  no  notice  of  it." 

"  It  is  all  true,  sir.  He  did  speak  to  me  about  get- 
ting up  a  mutiny,  locking  up  the  professors,  taking  the 
ship,  and  going  round  Cape  Horn  ;  and  he  will  not 
deny  it." 

"  He  will  have  no  opportunity  to  deny  it  to  me,  for 
I  shall  not  mention  the  subject  to  him.  Go  to  your 
duty,  and  remember  that  you  have  injured  yourself 
more  than  Shuffles  by  this  course." 

Wilton  hung  his  head,  and  went  forward,  cheated 
of  his  revenge,  and  disconcerted  by  the  rebuke  he  had 
received. 

Mr.  Lowington  was  quite  willing  to  believe  that 
Shuffles  had  talked  about  a  mutiny,  while  he  was  in 
the  steerage,  but  there  was  at  least  no  present  danger 
of  such  an  extravagant  scheme  being  put  into  opera- 
tion. He  understood  Shuffles  perfectly  ;  he  knew  that 
his  high  office  and  his  ambition  were  his  only  incen- 
tives to  fidelity  in  the  discharge  of  his  dutv  ;  but  he  had 
fairly  won  his  position,  and  he  was  willing  to  let  him 
stand  or  fall  by  his  own  merits.  He  was  not  a  young 
man  of  high  moral  principle,  as  Paul  Kendall,  and 
Gordon,  and  Carnes  were ;  but  the  discipline  of  the 


Il6  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

ship  was  certainly  doing  wonders  for  him,  though  it 
might  ultimately  fail  of  its  ends. 

The  ship  came  to  anchor,  the  band  was  sent  on 
shore,  and  the  Fourth  of  July  holidays  were  ended. 
On  the  following  morning  the  studies  were  resumed, 
and  everything  on  board  went  on  as  usual.  A  few 
days  later,  the  ship  went  on  a  cruise  to  the  eastward, 
spending  a  week  in  each  of  the  principal  ports  on  the 
coast.  The  students  soon  became  so  accustomed  to 
the  motion  of  the  ship,  that  none  of  them  were  sea- 
sick, and  the  recitations  were  regularly  heard,  whether 
the  Young  America  was  in  port  or  at  sea. 

When  the  cold  weather  came,  stoves  were  put  up  in 
the  cabins  and  in  the  steerage,  and  the  routine  of  the 
ship  was  not  disturbed  ;  but  Mr.  Lowington  dreaded 
the  ice  and  snow,  and  the  severe  weather  of  mid- 
winter, and  in  November,  the  Young  America  started 
on  a  cruise  to  the  southward,  and  in  the  latter  part  of 
December  she  was  in  Chesapeake  Bay.  In  March 
she  returned  to  Brockway.  By  this  time  the  crew 
were  all  thorough  seamen,  and  had  made  excellent 
progress  in  their  studies.  Mr.  Lowington  was  entirely 
satisfied  with  the  success  of  his  experiment,  and  was 
resolved  to  persevere  in  it. 

The  boys  were  in  splendid  discipline,  and  there  had 
not  been  a  case  of  serious  illness  on  board  during  the 
year.  Besides  the  six  hours  of  study  and  recitation 
required  of  the  pupils  per  day,  they  were  all  trained 
in  gymnastics  by  Dr.  Winstock,  the  surgeon,  who  had 
a  system  of  his  own,  and  was  an  enthusiast  on  the 
subject.  This  exercise,  with  the  ordinary  ship's  duty, 
kept  them  in  excellent  physical  condition  ;  and  while 


YOUNG  AMERICA   AFLOAT.  117 

their  brown  faces  and  rosy  cheeks  indicated  a  healthy 
state  of  the  body,  their  forms  were  finely  developed, 
and  their  muscles  scientifically  trained. 

Greek  and  Latin,  German  and  French,  with  the 
ordinary  English  branches  pursued  in  high  schools 
and  academies,  were  taught  on  board,  and  the  instruct- 
ors were  satisfied  that  the  boys  accomplished  twice  as 
much  as  was  ordinarily  done  in  similar  institutions  on 
shore,  and  without  injury  to  the  students.  Everything 
was  done  by  rule,  and  nothing  was  left  to  the  whims 
and  caprices  of  teachers  and  scholars.  Just  so  much 
study  was  done  every  day,  and  no  more.  There  was 
no  sitting  up  nights  ;  there  were  no  balls  and  parties, 
theatres  and  concerts,  to  interfere  with  the  work  ;  no 
late  suppers  of  escalloped  oysters  and  lobster  salads  to 
be  eaten.  Boys  who  had  bad  habits  were  watched, 
and  injurious  tendencies  corrected. 

But  the  students  enjoyed  their  life  on  shipboard. 
As  the  vessel  went  from  port  to  port,  new  scenes  were 
opened  to  them.  Those  who  could  be  trusted  were 
allowed  to  go  on  shore  in  their  off-time ;  and  as  all 
their  privileges  depended  upon  their  good  conduct, 
they  were  very  careful  to  do  their  duty,  both  as  students 
and  as  seamen,  cheerfully  and  faithfully. 

The  Young  America  dropped  her  anchor  in  Brock- 
way  Harbor  on  the  5th  of  March,  on  her  return  franc. 
her  southern  cruise.  The  first  term  of  the  second 
year  was  to  commence  on  the  1st  of  April,  and  it  was 
understood  that  the  ship  would  sail  for  Europe  on  the 
last  day  of  March.  The  vessel  needed  some  repairs, 
and  all  the  students  were  allowed  a  furlough  of  twenty 
days  to  visit  their  homes. 


Il8  -  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

Several  of  the  larger  boys,  including  Carnes,  had 
obtained  places  in  the  navy,  and  were  not  to  return". 
Two  or  three  were  to  enter  college  in  the  summer, 
and  a  few  were  to  go  into  mercantile  houses ;  but 
these  vacancies  would  be  more  than  filled  by  the  appli- 
cants who  had  been  waiting  months  for  an  opportunity 
to  join  the  ship. 

After  the  departure  of  the  students,  the  Young 
America  was  docked,  and  the  necessary  repairs  made 
upon  her.  She  was  thoroughly  cleansed  and  painted, 
and  came  out  as  good  as  new.  Before  the  return  of 
the  boys,  her  provisions,  water,  and  stores,  were  taken 
on  board,  and  all  the  preparations  made  for  a  foreign 
voyage.  On  the  25th  of  the  month  she  was  an- 
chored again  at  her  old  moorings,  and  in  the  course 
of  the  next  two  days  all  the  instructors  and  pupils 
were  in  their  places.     There  were  eleven  new  boys. 

"  Young  gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Lowington,  as  he 
mounted  his  usual  rostrum,  "  I  am  happy  to  see  you 
again,  and  to  welcome  you  on  board.  Our  experience 
during  the  coming  season  will  be  much  more  interest- 
ing and  exciting  than  that  of  the  last  year.  We  shall 
proceed  immediately  to  Europe,  and  all  who  are  worthy 
of  the  privilege  will  have  an  opportunity  to  visit  the 
principal  cities  of  Europe  —  London,  Paris,  Naples, 
St.  Petersburg.  We  shall  go  up  the  Baltic  and  up  the 
Mediterranean,  in  this  or  a  subsequent  cruise,  and  I 
can  safely  promise  you,  not  only  an  interesting,  but  a 
profitable  trip.  In  a  circular  I  have  informed  your 
parents  and  guardians  of  my  purposes,  and  yoii  are 
shipped  this  time  for  a  foreign  voyage,  with  their  con- 
sent and  approval." 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  II9 

This  speech  caused  no  little  excitement  among  the 
boys,  who  anticipated  a  great  deal  from  the  summer 
voyage.  It  was  no  small  thing  to  visit  London,  Paris, 
and  St.  Petersburg,  and  not  many  boys  obtain  such  an 
opportunity. 

"  But,  young  gentlemen,  I  believe  in  discipline  and 
progress,  as  most  of  you  know.  I  expect  every  stu- 
dent to  do  his  whole  duty  ;  and  I  wish  to  tell  you  now, 
that  misconduct,  and  failures  at  recitation,  will  bring 
heavy  disappointments  upon  you.  If  you  do  nothing 
for  yourselves,  you  need  expect  nothing  from  me.  For 
example,  when  the  ship  is  going  up  the  Thames,  if 
any  one  of  you,  or  any  number  of  you,  should  be  guilty 
of  flagrant  misconduct,  or  gross  neglect  of  your  studies, 
you  will  see  no  more  of  the  city  of  London  than  you 
can  see  from  the  cross-trees,  for  you  shall  not  put  a 
foot  on  shore." 

"  Rather  steep,"  whispered  one  of  the  new  comers. 

"  That's  so,  but  he  means  it,"  replied  an  old  student. 

"  We  shall  be  at  sea,  out  of  sight  of  land,  for  twenty 
or  thirty  days,"  continued  Mr.  Lowington.  "  We  shall 
encounter  storms  and  bad  weather,  such  as  none  of 
you  have  ever  seen  ;  for  in  going  from  port  to  port,  last 
season,  we  were  enabled  to  avoid  all  severe  weather. 
We  shall  go  to  sea  now  with  no  harbor  before  us  till 
we  reach  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  we  must 
take  whatever  comes.  But  the  ship  is  as  strong  as  a 
ship  can  be  built,  and  with  good  management  she 
would  stand  any  gale  that  ever  blew.  Good  manage- 
ment includes  good  discipline,  and  every  officer  and 
seaman  must  be  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty, 


120  OUTWARD    BOUND,   OR 

for  the  safety  of  the  ship  and  all  on  board  of  her  will 
depend  upon  the  fidelity  of  each  individual. 

"  Young  gentlemen,  there  are  eleven  new  scholars  : 
they  must  take  the  vacant  berths  after  the  ship's  com- 
pany is  organized  on  the  old  plan.  The  offices  will 
be  given  out  and  the  berths  drawn  by  the  merit  roll 
for  January,  February,  and  a  portion  of  March  — -  only 
about  nine  weeks  of  term  time." 

Shuffles,  who  stood  near  the  principal,  looked  very 
much  disconcerted  when  this  announcement  was  made, 
and  whispered  to  Paul  Kendall  that  it  was  not  fair  to 
distribute  the  offices  by  last  year's  record.  While  the 
Young  America  was  tying  at  anchor  in  Chesapeake 
Bay,  in  December,  Shuffles,  then  second  lieutenant, 
had  received  a  letter  from  his  mother,  in  which  she 
had  informed  him  that  his  family  would  visit  Europe 
in  the  following  spring,  and  that  he  would  leave  the 
ship,  and  form  one  of  the  party.  This  information 
had  caused  him  to  relax  his  efforts  as  a  student,  and 
he  had  fallen  very  low  in  rank.  This  was  the  rea- 
son why  the  proposed  distribution  of  offices  was  not 
fair. 

When  Shuffles  went  home  on  his  furlough  of 
twenty  days,  he  had  behaved  so  badly  that  his  father 
refused  to  have  him  form  one  of  the  party  in  the 
trip  abroad,  and  compelled  him  to  return  to  the  ship 
for  another  year  of  wholesome  discipline  under  Mr. 
Lowington.  Angry  and  indignant,  Shuffles  did  re- 
turn, and  the  announcement  that  the  offices  were  to 
be  distributed  by  the  merit  roll  did  not  add  to  his 
equanimity. 


YOUNG  AMERICA   AFLOAT.  121 

"  I  will  now  read  the  record  of  marks,"  said  the 
principal,  "  and  announce  the  officers  for  the  next 
term." 

The  boys  were  silent  and  anxious  ;  for  places  in  the 
after  cabin  were  more  highly  valued  than  ever,  now 
that  the  Young  America  was  going  to  Europe. 
II 


122 


OUTWARD    BOUND.    OR 


CHAPTER    VIII. 


OUTWARD    BOUND. 


MR.  LOWINGTON  read  the  merit  roll,  an- 
nouncing the  officers  as  he  proceeded.  The 
occupants  of  the  after  cabin,  who  were  appointed  for 
the  succeeding  three  months,  during  which  time  the 
ship  crossed  the  Atlantic,  and  visited  various  European 
ports,  w^re  as  follows  :  — 


Charles  Gordon,    Captain. 
Joseph  Haven,  First  Lieutenant. 


Paul  Kendall, 
Samuel  Goodwin, 
Augustus  Pelham, 

Second         " 
Third           " 
Fourth         " 

William  Foster, 
Henry  Martyn, 
Thomas  Ellis, 
Joseph  Leavitt, 

First  Master. 
Second      " 
Third       " 
Fourth      " 

Joseph  O.  Rogers, 
Edward  Murray, 

First  Purser. 
Second     " 

George  W.  Terrill, 
John  Humphreys, 
Mark  Robinson, 
Andrew  Groom, 

First  A/ids hipman 
Second          " 
Third           ." 
Fourth         " 

YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 23 

The  students  mentioned  in  the  list  made  the  re- 
quired promise  to  behave  themselves  like  gentlemen, 
and  faithfully  discharge  the  duties  of  their  several 
offices,  and  were  duly  installed  in  their  new  positions 
in  the  after  cabin.  Most  of  them  had  been  officers 
before,  but  all  of  them  were  higher  in  rank  than  at 
any  former  period.  Richard  Carnes  had  been  captain 
four  terms,  for  no  one  could  get  ahead  of  him. 

The  new  captain  had  been  first  lieutenant,  during 
the  preceding  year,  three  terms  out  of  four,  and  was 
certainly  the  best  qualified  student  on  board  for  the 
command.  He  was  a  young  man  of  high  moral 
aims,  with  much  dignity  of  character  and  energy  of 
purpose. 

The  officers  went  to  the  after  cabin,  put  on  their 
uniforms,  and  assumed  their  proper  places.  The 
choice  of  berths  in  the  steerage  proceeded  as  usual, 
according  to  the  merit  roll,  and  the  petty  offices  were 
given  to  the  highest  in  rank.  The  new  boys  took  the 
unoccupied  berths  by  lot.  The  organization  of  the 
ship  was  now  completed,  and  the  students  were  di- 
rected to  put  their  berths  and  lockers  in  order.  The 
remainder  of  the  day  was  fully  occupied  in  preparing 
for  the  voyage.  Great  quantities  of  ice  and  fresh  pro- 
visions were  taken  on  board,  and  packed  away  in  the 
store  rooms  of  the  hold,  and  all  was  bustle  and  con- 
fusion. 

On  Thursday  morning  the  ship  was  put  in  order 
again.  The  vessel  had  been  duly  cleared  at  the  custom 
house,  and  every  article  required  for  the  voyage  had 
been  received.  The  boys  were  ordered  to  put  on 
their  best  suits,  and  at  nine  o'clock  a  steamer  came 


124  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

off,  having  on  board  a  large  number  of  the  parents 
and  friends  of  the  students.  The  forenoon  was  given 
up  to  this  interesting  occasion.  It  was  a  beautiful 
day,  with  a  gentle  breeze  from  the  westward,  and  at 
twelve  o'clock,  all  hands  were  mustered  on  deck  for 
religious  services,  to  be  performed  by  the  chaplain,  in 
the  presence  of  the  friends  of  the  pupils. 

Mr.  Lowington  was  a  religious  man,  and  the  posi- 
tion of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Agneau,  as  chaplain  on  board, 
was  by  no  means  a  sinecure.  Services  had  always 
been  held  twice  a  day  on  Sunday.  At  five  minutes 
before  eight  in  the  morning,  and  at  the  same  time  in 
the  evening,  prayers  were  said  on  deck,  or  in  the 
steerage,  in  the  presence  of  the  entire  ship's  company. 
On  the  point  of  leaving  the  shores  of  the  United 
States,  it  seemed  highly  appropriate  to  invoke  the 
blessing  of  God  on  the  voyage  and  the  voyagers,  and 
the  principal*had  directed  that  the  service  should  be 
conducted  in  the  presence  of  the  parents  and  friends. 

The  prayer  and  the  remarks  of  the  chaplain  were 
very  solemn  and  impressive,  and  even  the  roughest  of 
the  students  were  moved  by  them.  At  the  conclusion 
of  the  religious  service,  Mr.  Lowington  addressed  the 
visitors,  explaining  the  details  of  his  plan  more  fully 
than  he  had  done  in  his  circulars,  and  saying  what  he 
could  to  inspire  the  parents  with  confidence  in  regard 
to  the  safety  of  their  sons.  It  need  not  be  said  that 
there  were  many  tears  shed  on  this  occasion. 

At  the  close  of  the  speech  a  collation  was  served 
to  the  visitors,  in  the  cabins  and  steerage,  after  which 
another  hour  was  allowed  for  social  intercourse  ;  and 
then  the  ship  was  cleared,  the  visitors  going  on  board 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 23 

the  steamer  again,  which  was  to  accompany  the  Young 
America  below  the  lighthouse.  The  boys  were  sent 
below  to  change  their  clothes  again. 

"  All  hands,  up  anchor,  ahoy ! "  piped  the  boat- 
swain ;  and  the  crew  sprang  to  their  stations  with 
more  than  usual  alacrity. 

This  was  a  greater  event  than  they  had  ever  known 
before.  The  anchor,  which  was  now  to  be  hauled  up, 
was  not  to  be  dropped  again  for  about  a  month,  and 
then  in  foreign  waters.  They  were  going  out  upon 
the  waste  of  the  ocean,  to  be  driven  and  tossed  by  the 
storms  of  the  Atlantic.  They  were  bidding  farewell 
to  their  native  land,  not  again  to  look  upon  its  shores 
for  many  months.  They  were  boys,  and  they  were 
deeply  impressed  by  the  fact. 

The  capstan  was  manned,  and  the  cable  hove  up  to 
a  short  stay.  The  topsails  and  top-gallant  sails  were 
set ;  then  the  anchor  was  hauled  up  to  the  hawse- 
hole,  catted  and  fished.  The  Young  America  moved  *, 
she  wore  round,  and  her  long  voyage  was  commenced. 
The  courses  and  the  royals  were  set,  and  she  moved 
majestically  down  the  bay.  The  steamer  kept  close 
by  her,  and  salutations  by  shouts,  cheers,  and  the 
waving  of  handkerchiefs,  were  continually  inter- 
changed, till  the  ship  was  several  miles  outside  of 
the  lower  light. 

The  steamer  whistled  several  times,  to  indicate  that 
she  was  about  to  return.  All  hands  were  then  ordered 
into  the  rigging  of  the  ship  ;  and  cheer  after  cheer  was 
given  by  the  boys,  and  acknowledged  by  cheers  on 
the  part  of  the  gentlemen,  and  the  waving  of  hand- 
kerchiefs by  the  ladies.  The  steamer  came  about ;  the 
11* 


126  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

moment  of  parting  had  come,  and  she  was  headed 
towards  the  city.  Some  of  the  students  wept  then  ; 
for,  whatever  charms  there  were  in  the  voyage  before 
them,  the  ties  of  home  and  friends  were  still  strong. 
As  long  as  the  steamer  could  be  seen,  signals  con- 
tinued to  pass  between  her  and  the  ship. 

"  Captain  Gordon,  has  the  first  master  given  the 
quartermaster  the  course  yet?  "  asked  Mr.  Lowington, 
when  the  steamer  had  disappeared  among  the  islands 
of  the  bay. 

"No,  sir;  but  Mr.  Fluxion  told  him  to  make  it 
east-north-east. " 

"  Very  well ;  but  the  masters  should  do  this  duty," 
added  Mr.  Lowington,  as  he  di'^ted  the  instructor  in 
mathematics  to  require  the  masters,  to  whom  belonged 
the  navigation  of  the  ship,  to  indicate  the  course. 

William  Foster  was  called,  and  sent  int(>  the  after 
cabin  with  his  associates,  to  obtain  the  necessary  sail- 
ing directions.  The  masters  had  been  furnished  with 
a  supply  of  charts,  which  they  had  studied  daily,  as 
they  were  instructed  in  the  theory  of  laying  down  the 
ship's  course.  Foster  unrolled  the  large  chart  of  the 
North  Atlantic  Ocean  upon  the  dinner  table,  and  with 
parallel  ruler,  pencil,  and  compasses,  proceeded  to 
perform  his  duty. 

"  We  want  to  go  just  south  of  G?pe  Sable,"  said  he, 
placing  his  pencil  point  on  that  part  of  the  chart. 

"  How  far  south  of  it?"  asked  Harry  Martyn. 

"  Say  twenty  nautical  miles." 

The  first  master  dotted  the  point  twenty  miles  south 
of  Cape  Sable,  which  is  the  southern  point  of  Nova 
Scotia,  and  also  the  ship's  position,  with  his  pencil. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 27 

He  then  placed  one  edge  of  the  parallel  ruler  on  both 
of  these  points,  thus  connecting  them  with  a  straight 
line. 

A  parallel  ruler  consists  of  two  smaller  rulers,  each 
an  inch  in  width  and  a  foot  in  length,  connected 
together  by  two  flat  pieces  of  brass,  riveted  into  each 
ruler,  acting  as  a  kind  of  hinge.  The  parts,  when 
separated,  are  always  parallel  to  each  other. 

Foster  placed  the  edge  of  the  ruler  on  the  two 
points  made  with  the  pencil,  one  indicating  the  ship's 
present  position,  the  other  the  position  she  was  to 
obtain  after  sailing  two  or  three  days.  Putting  the 
ringers  of  his  left  hand  on  the  brass  knob  of  the  ruler, 
by  which  the  parts  are  moved,  he  pressed  down  and 
held  its  upper  half,  joining  the  two  points,  firmly  in 
its  place.  With  the  fingers  of  the  right  hand  he 
moved  the  lower  half  down,  which,  in  its  turn,  he  kept 
firmly  in  place,  while  he  slipped  the  upper  half  over 
the  paper,  thus  preserving  the  direction  between  the 
points.  By  this  process  the  parallel  ruler  could  be 
moved  all  over  the  chart  without  losing  the  course 
from  one  point  to  the  other. 

On  every  chart  there  are  one  or  more  diagrams  of 
the  compass,  with  lines  diverging  from  a  centre,  rep- 
resenting all  the  points.  The  parallel  ruler  is  worked 
over  the  chart  to  one  of  these  diagrams,  where  the 
direction  to  which  it  has  been  set  nearly  or  exactly 
coincides  with  one  of  the  lines  representing  a  point  of 
the  compass. 

The  first  master  of  the  Young  America  worked  the 
ruler  down  to  a  diagram,  and  found  that  it  coincided 


125  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

with  the  line  indicating  east  by  north ;  or  one  point 
north  of  east. 

"  That's  the  course,"  said  Thomas  Ellis,  the  third 
master  —  "  east  by  north." 

"  I  think  not,"  added  Foster.  "If  we  steer  that 
course,  we  should  go  forty  or  fifty  miles  south  of  Cape 
Sable,  and  thus  run  much  farther  than  we  need. 
What  is  the  variation  ?  " 

"  About  twelve  degrees  west,"  replied  Martyn. 

The  compass  does  not  indicate  the  true  north  in  all 
parts  of  the  earth,  the  needle  varying  in  the  North 
Atlantic  Ocean  from  thirty  degrees  east  to  nearly 
thirty  degrees  west.  There  is  an  imaginary  line,  ex- 
tending in  a  north-westerly  direction,  through  a  point 
in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Lookout,  called  the  magnetic 
meridian,  on  which  there  is  no  variation.  East  of  this 
line  the  needle  varies  to  the  westward ;  and  west  of 
the  line,  to  the  eastward.  These  variations  of  the 
compass  are  marked  on  the  chart,  in  different  latitudes 
and  longitudes,  though  they  need  to  be  occasionally 
corrected  by  observations,  for  they  change  slightly 
from  year  to  year. 

"  Variation  of  twelve  degrees,"  *  repeated  Foster, 
verifying  the  statement  by  an  examination  of  the- 
chart.  That  is  equal  to  about  one  point,  which,  car- 
ried  to  the  westward  from  east  by  north,  will  give  the 
course  east-north-east." 

The  process  was  repeated,  and  the  same  result 
being  obtained,  the  first  master  reported  the  course  to 

*  These  calculations  are  merely  approximate,  being  intended 
only  to  illustrate  the  principle. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 2C) 

Mr.  Fluxion,  who  had  made  the  calculation  himself, 
in  the  professors'  cabin. 

"  Quartermaster,  make  the  course  east-north-east," 
said  the  first  master,  when  his  work  had  been  duly 
approved  by  the  instructor. 

"  East-north-east,  sir  !  "  replied  the  quartermaster, 
who  was  conning  the  wheel  —  that  is,  he  was  watch- 
ing the  compass,  and  seeing  that  the  two  wheelmen 
kept  the  ship  on  her  course. 

There  were  two  other  compasses  on  deck,  one  on 
the  quarter-deck,  and  another  forward  of  the  main- 
mast, which  the  officers  on  duty  were  required  fre- 
quently to  consult,  in  order  that  any  negligence  in  one 
place  might  be  discovered  in  another.  The  after 
cabin  and  the  professors'  cabin  wTere  also  provided 
with  "  tell-tales,"  which  are  inverted  compasses,  sus- 
pended under  the  skylights,  by  which  the  officers  and 
instructors  below  could  observe  the  ship's  course. 

The  log  indicated  that  the  ship  was  making  six 
knots  an  hour,  the  rate  being  ascertained  every  two 
hours,  and  entered  on  the  log-slate,  to  be  used  in 
making  up  the  "  dead  reckoning."  The  Young 
America  had  taken  her  "  departure,"  that  is,  left  the 
last  land  to  be  seen,  at  half  past  three  o'clock.  At 
four,  when  the  log  was  heaved,  she  had  made 
three  miles ;  at  six,  fifteen  miles ;  at  eight,  the  wind 
diminishing  and  the  log  indicating  but  four  knots, 
only  eight  miles  were  to  be  added  for  the  two  hours' 
run,  making  twenty-three  miles  in  all.  The  first  sea 
day  would  end  at  twelve  o'clock  on  the  morrow,  when 
the  log-slate  would  indicate  the  total  of  nautical  miles 
the  ship  had  r«*"   ^ftel   taking  her  departure.     This  i3 


I30  OUTWARD   BOUND,    OR 

called  her  dead  reckoning,  which  may  be  measured 
off  on  the  chart,  and  should  carry  the  vessel  to  the 
point  indicated  by  the  observations  for  latitude  and 
longitude. 

The  wind  was  very  light,  and  studding-sails  were 
set  alow  and  aloft.  The  ship  only  made  her  six  knots 
as  she  pitched  gently  in  the  long  swell  of  the  ocean. 
The  boys  were  still  nominally  under  the  order  of  "  all 
hands  on  deck,'*  but  there  was  nothing  for  them  to  do, 
with  the  exception  of  the  wheelmen,  and  they  were 
gazing  at  the  receding  land  behind  them.  They  were 
taking  their  last  view  of  the  shores  of  their  native 
land.  Doubtless  some  of  them  were  inclined  to  be 
sentimental,  but  most  of  them  were  thinking  of  the 
pleasant  sights  they  were  to  see,  and  the  exciting  scenes 
in  which  they  were  to  engage  on  the  other  side  of  the 
rolling  ocean,  and  were  as  jolly  as  though  earth  had 
no  sorrows  for  them. 

The  principal  and  the  professors  were  pacing  the 
quarter-deck,  and  doubtless  some  of  them  were  won- 
dering whether  boys  like  the  crew  of  the  Young 
America  could  be  induced  to  study  and  recite  their 
lessons  amid  the  excitement  of  crossing  the  Atlantic, 
and  the  din  of  the  great  commercial  cities  of  the  old 
world.  The  teachers  were  energetic,  men,  and  they 
were  hopeful,  at  least,  especially  as  study  and  disci- 
pline were  the  principal  elements  of  the  voyage,  and 
each  pupil's  privileges  were  to.  depend  upon  his  dili- 
gence and  his.  good  behavior.  It  would  be  almost 
impossible  for  a  boy  who  wanted  to  go  to  Paris  while 
the  ship  was  lying  at  Havre,  so  far  to  neglect  his 
duties  as  to  forfeit  the  privilege  of  going.     As  these 


YOUNG    AMERICA   AFLOAT.  131 

gentlemen   have    not   been   formally    introduced,    the 
"  faculty  "  of  the  ship  is  here  presented  :  — 

Robert  Lowington,  Principal. 
Rev.  Thomas  Agneau,  Chaplain. 
Dr.  Edward  B.  Winstock,  Surgeon. 

Instructors. 
John  Paradyme,  A.  M.,   Greek  aizd  Latin. 
Richard  Modelle,  Reading  and  Grammar. 
Charles  C.  Mapps,  A.  M.,  Geography  and  History. 
James  E.  Fluxion,  Mathematics. 
Abraham  Carboy,  M.  D.,  Chemistry  and  Nat.  Phil. 
Adolph  Badois,  French  and  German. 

These  gentlemen  were  all  highly  accomplished  teach* 
ers  in  their  several  departments,  as  the  progress  of  the 
students  during  the  preceding  year  fully  proved.  They 
were  interested  in  their  work,  and  in  sympathy  with 
the  boys,  as  well  as  with  the  principal. 

It  was  a  very  quiet  time  on  board,  and  the  crew 
were  collected  in  little  groups,  generally  talking  of  the 
sights  they  were  to  see.  In  the  waist  were  Shuffles, 
Monroe,  and  Wilton,  all  feuds  among  them  having 
been  healed.  They  appeared  to  be  the  best  of  friends, 
and  it  looked  ominous  for  the  discipline  of  the  ship  to 
see  them  reunited.  Shuffles  was  powerful  for  good 
or  evil,  as  he  chose,  and  Mr.  Lowington  regretted  that 
he  had  fallen  from  his  high  position,  fearing  that  the 
self-respect  which  had  sustained  him  as  an  officer 
would  desert  him  as  a  seaman,  and  permit  him  to  fall 
into  excesses. 

Shuffles  was  more  dissatisfied  and  discontented  than 


132  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

he  had  ever  been  before.  He  had  desired  to  make  the 
tour  of  Europe  with  his  father,  and  he  was  sorely  dis- 
appointed when  denied  this  privilege  ;  for  with  the 
family  he  would  be  free  from  restraint,  and  free  from 
hard  study.  When  he  lost  his  rank  as  an  officer,  he 
became  desperate  and  reckless.  To  live  in  the  steer- 
age and  do  seaman's  duty  for  three  months,  after  he 
had  enjoyed  the  luxuries  of  authority,  and  of  a  state- 
room in  the  after  cabin,  were  intolerable.  After  the 
cabin  offices  had  been  distributed,  he  told  Monroe  that 
he  intended  to  run  away  that  night ;  but  he  had  found 
no  opportunity  to  do  so  ;  and  it  was  unfortunate  for 
his  shipmates  that  he  did  not. 

"This  isn't  bad  —  is  it,  Shuffles?"  said  Wilton,  as 
the  ship  slowly  ploughed  her  way  through  the  billows. 

"  I  think  it  is.  I  had  made  up  my  mouth  to  cross 
the  ocean  in  a  steamer,  and  live  high  in  London  and 
Paris,"  replied  Shuffles.  "  I  don't  relish  this  thing, 
now." 

"  Why  not?  "  asked  Wilton. 

"  I  don't  feel  at  home  here." 

"  I  do." 

"  Because  you  never  were  anywhere  else.  I  ought 
to  be  captain  of  this  ship." 

"  Well,  you  can  be,  if  you  have  a  mind  to  work  for 
it,"  added  Monroe. 

"  Work  for  it !  That's  played  out.  I  must  stay  in 
the  steerage  three  months,  at  any  rate  ;  and  that  while 
the  burden  of  the  fun  is  going  on.  If  we  were  going 
to  lie  in  harbor,  or  cruise  along  the  coast,  I  would  go 
in  for  my  old  place." 

"  But  Carnes   is   out  of   the    way   now,   and   youl 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 33 

chance  is  better  this  year  than  it  was  last,"  suggested 
Monroe. 

"  I  know  that,  but  I  can't  think  of  straining  every 
nerve  for  three  months,  two  of  them  while  we  are 
going  from  port  to  port  in  Europe.  When  we  go 
ashore  at  Queenstown,  I  shall  have  to  wear  a  short 
jacket,  instead  of  the  frock  coat  of  an  officer;  and  I 
think  the  jacket  would  look  better  on  some  younger 
fellow." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do,  Shuffles? "  asked 
Wilton. 

"  I'd  rather  be  a  king  among  hogs,  than  a  hog 
among  kings." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that?  " 

"  No  matter  ;  there's  time  enough  to  talk  over  these 
things." 

"  Do  you  mean  a  mutiny?  "  laughed  Wilton. 

"  Haven't  you  forgotten  that?  " 

"No." 

"  I  wonder  what  Lowington  would  say,  if  he  knew 
I  had  proposed  such  a  thing,"  added  Shuffles,  thought- 
fully. 

"  He  did  know  it,  at  the  time  you  captured  the  run- 
aways, for  I  told  him." 

"  Did  you  ?  "  demanded  Shuffles,  his  brow  contract- 
ing with  anger. 

"  I  told  you'  I  would  tell  him,  and  I  did,"  answered 
Wilton.  "  You  were  a  traitor  to  our  fellows,  and 
got  us  into  a  scrape." 

"  I  was  an  officer  then." 

"  No  matter  for  that.  Do  you  suppose,  if  I  were  an 
12 


134  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

officer,  I  would  throw  myself  in  your  -way  when  you 
were  up  to  anything?" 

"  I  don't  know  whether  you  would  or  not ;  but  1 
wouldn't  blow  on  you,  if  you  had  told  me  anything  in 
confidence.     What  did  Lowington  say?" 

"  Nothing;  he  wouldn't  take  any  notice  of  what  I 
said." 

"  That  was  sensible  on  his  part.  One  thing  is  cer- 
tain, Wilton  :   you  can't  be  trusted." 

"  You  mustn't  make  me  mad,  then." 

"  I  will  keep  things  to  myself  hereafter,"  growled 
Shuffles. 

"  Don't  be  savage.  You  served  me  a  mean  trick, 
and  I  paid  you  off  for  it ;    so  we  are  square." 

"  We  will  keep  square  then,  and  not  open  any  new 
accounts." 

"  But  you  will  want  me  when  anything  is  up," 
laughed  Wilton.  "  What  would  you  do  without  me 
in  getting  up  a  mutiny  ?  " 

"  Who  said  anything  about  a  mutiny?  " 

"  I  know  you  are  thinking  over  something,  and  you 
don't  mean  to  submit  to  the  discipline  of  the  ship,  if 
you  can  help  it." 

"  Well,  I  can't  help  it." 

"  There  goes  the  boatswain's  whistle,  piping  to 
muster,"  said  Monroe. 

"  Confound  the  boatswain's  whistle ! "  growled 
Shuffles.  "  I  don't  like  the  idea  of  running  every 
time  he  pipes." 

Very  much  to  the  surprise  of  his  companions, 
Shuffles,  his  irritation  increased  by  the  conduct  of 
Wilton,  took  no  notice  of  the  call,  and  went  forward. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 35 

instead  of  aft.  His  companions,  more  wise  and  pru- 
dent, walked  up  to  the  hatch,  which  Mr.  Lowington 
had  just  mounted. 

"  Groom,  tell  Shuffles  to  come  aft,"  said  the  princi- 
pal to  one  of  the  midshipmen. 

The  officer  obeyed  the  order  ;  Shuffles  flatly  refused 
to  go  aft.  Mr.  Lowington  descended  from  his  ros- 
trum, and  went  forward  to  enforce  obedience.  This 
event  created  a  profound  sensation  among  the  stu- 
dents. 

"  Shuffles,"  said  Mr.  Lowington,  sternly. 

"  Sir,"  replied  the  malcontent,  in  a  surly  tone. 

"  The  boatswain  piped  the  crew  to  muster." 

"  I  heard  him." 

"  You  did  not  obey  the  call.  I  sent  for  you,  and 
you  refused  to  come." 

"  I  don't  think  I  ought  to  obey  the  boatswain's  call." 

"  May  I  ask  why  not?  " 

"  I've  been  an  officer  three  terms,  and  I  should  be 
now  if  we  had  had  fair  play,"  growled  Shuffles. 

"  I  am  not  disposed  to  argue  this  point  in  your  pres- 
ent frame  of  mind.     I  order  you  to  go  aft." 

"  And  I  won't  go  !  "  replied  Shuffles,  impudently. 

"  Mr.  Peaks,"  said  the  principal,  calling  the  senior 
boatswain. 

"  Here,  sir,"  replied  Peaks,  touching  his  hat  to  the 
principal. 

"  Mr.  Leech,"  added  Mr.  Lowington. 

"  Here,  sir." 

"  Walk  this  young  gentleman  aft." 

"  Let  me  alone  !  "  cried  Shuffles,  as  Peaks  placed 
his  hand  upon  him* 


136  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  Gently,  my  sweet  lamb,"  said  the  boatswain,  with 
affected  tenderness. 

"  Take  your  hands  off  me  !  "  roared  the  mutinous 
pupil,  as  he  struggled  to  release  himself  from  the  grasp 
of  the  stalwart  seaman. 

Peaks  took  him  by  the  collar  with  one  hand,  and 
held  his  wrist  with  the  other,  on  one  side,  while  Leech 
did  the  same  on  the  other  side. 

"  Walk  him  aft,"  repeated  the  principal. 

"  Mr.  Fluxion,  may  I  trouble  you  to  bring  up  the 
irons  ? "  continued  Mr.  Lowington,  when  the  boat- 
swain and  carpenter  had  "  walked  "  the  rebel  aft,  in 
spite  of  his  struggling  and  kicking. 

"  Irons  !  "  gasped  Shuffles,  as  he  heard  the  request 
of  the  principal. 

He  trembled  with  rage  as  he  uttered  the  word.  The 
irons  seemed  to  pierce  his  soul.  Probably  he  did  not 
think  that  the  son  of  a  wealthy  gentleman  would  be 
compelled  to  submit  to  such  an  indignity  as  being  put 
in  irons. 

Mr.  Fluxion  came  on  deck  with  a  pair  of  handcuffs. 
It  was  the  first  time  they  had  been  seen,  and  no  student 
even  knew  there  were  any  on  board.  The  discipline 
of  the  ship  had  been  as  gentle  as  it  was  firm,  and  this 
was  the  first  time  such  instruments  were  necessary. 

"  Mr.  Peaks,  put  the  irons  on  him  !  "  said  Mr. 
Lowington,  his  usual  dignity  unruffled  by  angry  emo- 
tions. 

"  Don't  put  them  on  me  !  "  cried  Shuffles,  making 
an  effort  to  disengage  himself  from  the  grasp  of  his 
captors. 

"  Put  them  on  at  once  !  "  added  the  principal. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 37 

"  You  shall  not  put  them  on  me  !  I  will  die  first !" 
roared  the  rebel. 

It  was  easier  to  talk  than  to  do,  in  the  hands  of  two 
sturdy  sailors,  one  of  whom  had  used  the  cat  in  the 
navy,  when  its  use  was  tolerated.  Shuffles  did  not 
die,  and  he  was  ironed,  in  spite  of  his  struggles  and 
his  protest. 

12  * 


I38  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 


CHAPTER    IX. 


THE    WATCH-BILL. 


SHUFFLES  struggled  with  the  irons  and  with  the 
stout  men  who  held  him  until  he  had  exhausted 
himself;  and  then,  because  his  frame,  rather  than  his 
spirit,  was  worn  down,  he  was  quiet.  It  was  the  first 
case  of  severe  discipline  that  had  occurred  on  board, 
and  it  created  a  tremendous  sensation  among  the 
students. 

Mr.  Lowington  stood  with  folded  arms,  watching 
the  vain  struggles  of  the  culprit,  until  he  was  reduced 
to  a  state  of  comparative  calmness.  He  looked  sad, 
rather  than  angry,  and  his  dignity  was  not  impaired 
by  the  assault  upon  his  authority. 

"  Shuffles,  I  am  sorry  to  see  one  who  has  been  an 
officer  of  the  ship  reduced  to  your  condition ;  but 
discipline  must  and  shall  be  maintained,"  said  the 
principal.  "  We  are  on  the  high  seas  now,  and  diso- 
bedience is  dangerous.  You  led  me  to  believe  that 
you  had  reformed  your  life  and  conduct." 

"  It  isn't  my  fault,"  replied  Shuffles,  angrily. 

"  You  had  better  not  reply  to  me  in  that  tone," 
added  Mr.  Lowington,  mildly. 

"  Yes,  I  will !  " 

"  Mr.  ToplifFe,"  continued  the  principal. 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  1 39 

"  Here,  sir,"  replied  the  head  steward 

"  You  will  have  the  brig  cleared  out  for  use." 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  "  and  the  head  steward  went  below  to 
obey  the  order. 

There  was  not  a  boy  on  board  who  knew  what  the 
"brig"  was,  though  the  establishment  had  existed  in 
the  steerage  from  the  time  when  the  boys  first  went  on 
board  the  ship.  It  had  never  before  been  required  for 
use,  and  Mr.  Lowington  had  carefully  veiled  every 
disagreeable  feature  of  discipline,  until  it  was  necessary 
to  exhibit  it.  The  brig  was  the  prison  of  the  ship  — 
the  lock-up.  It  was  located  under  and  abaft  the  main 
ladder,  in  the  steerage,  being  an  apartment  five  feet  in 
length  by  three  feet  in  width.  The  partitions  which 
enclosed  it  were  composed  of  upright  planks,  eight 
inches  in  width,  with  spaces  between  them  for  the 
admission  of  light  and  air. 

The  brig  had  been  used  as  a  store  room  for  bed- 
ding by  the  stewards,  and  the  students  never  suspected, 
till  Shuffles'  case  came  up,  that  it  was  not  built  for 
a  closet.  Mr.  ToplifTe  and  his  assistants  removed 
the  blankets  and  comforters  from  this  lock-up,  and 
prepared  it  for  the  reception  of  the  refractory  pupil. 
When  the  room  was  ready  he  went  on  deck,  and 
reported  the  fact  to  the  principal. 

"  Shuffles,  our  discipline  has  always  been  of  the 
mildest  character,"  said  Mr.  Lowington,  breaking  the 
impressive  silence  which  reigned  on  deck.  "  I  regret 
to  be  compelled  to  resort  to  force  in  any  form  ;  even 
now  I  would  avoid  it." 

"  You  needn't,  on  my  account,"   replied   Shuffles, 


140  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

shaking  his  head.  "  You  have  done  your  worst 
already." 

"  Mr.  Peaks,  take  him  below,  lock  him  up  in  the 
brig,  and  bring  the  key  to  me." 

The  manacled  rebel  made  another  effort  to  resist, 
but  the  stout  sailors  easily  handled  him,  and  bore  him 
down  into  the  steerage.  He  was  thrust  into  the 
brig,  ironed  as  he  was,  and  the  door  locked  upon 
him.  Shuffles  glanced  at  the  interior  of  the  prison, 
and  broke  out  into  a  contemptuous  laugh.  He  then 
commenced  kicking  the  pales  of  the  partition  ;  but 
he  might  as  well  have  attempted  to  break  through  the 
deck  beneath. 

"  Shuffles,"  said  Peaks,  in  a  low  tone,  when  he  had 
locked  the  door,  "  be  a  man.  You  act  like  a  spoiled 
child  now." 

"  I  have  been  insulted  and  abused,"  replied  Shuffles, 
fiercely. 

"  No,  you  haven't.  Aboard  almost  any  ship,  you 
would  have  got  a  knock  on  the  head  with  a  handspike 
before  this  time.  Don't  make  a  fool  of  yourself.  You 
are  only  making  yourself  ridiculous  now  —  'pon  my 
word  as  an  old  sailor,  you  are." 

"  I'll  have  satisfaction." 

"  No,  you  won't,  unless  you  break  your  own  head. 
I  want  to  advise  you,  as  a  friend,  not  to  make  a  fool 
'of  yourself.     I'm  sorry  for  you,  my  lad." 

"  Don't  talk  to  me." 

"  I  can  forgive  you  for  disobeying  orders,  but  I  can't 
forgive  you  for  being  a  fool.  Now,  keep  quiet,  and  be 
a  man." 

The  well-meant  effort  of  the  boatswain  U>  pacify  the 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  141 

culprit  was  a  failure,  and  Peaks,  going  on  deck,  deliv- 
ered the  key  of  the  brig  to  Mr.  Lowington.  Shuffles 
kicked  against  the  partition  till  he  was  tired  of  the 
exercise.  • 

"  Young  gentlemen,  to-day  we  enter  upon  a  new 
experience  on  shipboard,"  said  the  principal,  without 
making  any  further  allusion  to  Shuffles.  "  Our  short 
trips  last  season  were-so  timed  that  we  kept  no  regular 
night  watches,  and,  with  two  or  three  exceptions,  the 
ship  was  at  anchor  when  you  slept.  Of  course  that  is 
not  practicable  on  a  long  voyage,  and  you  must  all  do 
duty  by  night  as  well  as  by  day. 

"  This  has  been  a  difficult  matter  to  arrange,  for  you 
are  all  too  young  to  be  deprived  of  your  regular  sleep, 
though  in  heavy  weather  I  am  afraid  you  will  lose 
your  rest  to  some  extent.  At  eight  o'clock  this  evening 
the  starboard  watch  will  be  on  duty.  We  have  four 
times  as  many  hands  on  board  the  Young  America  as 
are  usually  employed  in  merchant  ships,  so  that  a 
quarter  watch  will  be  able  to  handle  the  ship  on  all 
ordinary  occasions.  We  shall,  therefore,  keep  a  quar- 
ter watch  on  ship's  duty  at  all  times  through  the 
twenty-four  hours. 

u  During  the  night,  including  the  time  from  eight  in 
the  evening  until  eight  in  the  morning,  each  quarter 
watch  will  be  on  duty  two  hours,  and  then  off  six 
hours ;  and  each  hand  will  obtain  six  consecutive 
hours'  sleep  every  night.  At  eight  this  evening,  the 
first  part  of  the  starboard  watch  will  have  the  shij:)  in 
charge,  and  all  others  may  turn  in  and  sleep.  At  ten, 
the  second  part  of  the  starboard  watch  will  be  called, 
without  disturbing  any  others.     At  twelve,   the   first 


142  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

part  of  the  port  watch  will  be  summoned  ;  at  two,  the 
second  part ;   and  so  on  till  eight  in  the  morning. 

"  The  first  part  of  the  starboard  watch,  which  turned 
in  at  ten,  will  sleep  till  four,  giving  them  six  hours  of 
rest  all  together,  and  they  may  turn  in  again  at  six 
o'clock,  when  relieved  by  the  second  part,  and  sleep 
till  half  past  seven,  which  is  breakfast  time  for  those 
off  duty. 

"  During  the  daytime,  from  eight  in  the  morning 
till  eight  in  the  evening,  the  same  routine  will  be  ob- 
served. To-morrow,  at  eight  in  the  morning,  the 
first  part  of  the  port  watch  will  take  charge  of  the 
ship  till  ten  ;  the  second  part  will  be  off  duty,  and  the 
time  will  be  their  own,  to  use  as  they  think  proper. 
At  ten,  the  second  part  will  be  in  charge,  and  the  first 
will  have  their  own  time  till  twelve.  All  the  starboard 
Watch,  during  these  four  hours,  will  study  and  recite. 
In  the  afternoon  the  same  course  will  be  pursued  with 
the  other  watch.     Do  you  understand  it?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  boys. 

"  By  this  arrangement  you  will  average  three  hours 
of  duty  every  night.  To-night  the  port  watch  will 
be  on  deck  two  hours,  and  the  starboard  watch,  whose 
turn  will  come  twice,  four  hours  ;  but  to-morrow  night 
the  operation  will  be  reversed,  and  the  port  will 
have  the  deck  four  hours,  and  the  starboard  but  two. 
Two  copies  of  the  watch  bill  will  be  posted  in  the 
steerage,  and  one  in  the  after  cabin.  Young  gentle- 
men, I  recommend  you  to  study  it,  until  you  are  per- 
fectly familiar  with  its  requirements." 

"How   is   it  with    the   officers,   Mr.    Lowington?" 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  1 43 

asked  Paul  Kendall,  who  was  generally  the  spokesman 
for  his  companions. 

"  The  officers  are  divided  into  watches  in  precisely 
the  same  manner  as  the  crew.  To  the  starboard  watch 
belong  the  first  and  third  lieutenant,  the  second  and 
fourth  master,  and  the  first  and  third  midshipman, 
which  makes  one  officer  of  each  grade  for  each  quar- 
ter watch,"  replied  Mr.  Lowington.  "  Their  off-time 
and  study-time  correspond  with  those  of  the  crew." 

It  is  quite  possible  that  the  officers  and  crew  of  the 
Young  America  understood  the  complicated  arrange- 
ment of  the  principal.  If  they  did  not,  they  could 
refer  to  the  posted  document ;  and,  as  we  cannot  de- 
prive our  readers  of  this  privilege,  we  insert  in  full, 
the 

WATCH   BILL. 
FIRST    DAY. 

First  Watch,  from  8  till  1 2  P.  M. 

From  8  till  io.  ist  Lieut.,  2d  Master,  ist  Mid. 
First  Part  of  the  Starboard  Watch. 

From  io  till  12.  3d  Lieut.,  4th  Master,  3d  Mid. 
Second  Part  of  the  Starboard  Watch. 

Mid  Watch,  from  12  till  4  A.  M. 

From  12  till  2.  2d  Lieut.,  ist  Master,  2d  Mid. 
First  Part  of  the  Port  Watch. 

From  2  till  4.  4th  Lieut.,  3d  Master,  4th  Mid 
Second  Part  of  the  Port  Watch. 


144  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

Morning  Watch,  from  4  till  8  A.  M. 

From  4  till  6.  1st  Lieut.,  2d  Master,  1st  Mid. 
First  Part  of  the  Starboard  Watch. 

From  6  till  8.  3d  Lieut.,  4th  Master,  3d  Mid. 
Second  Part  of  the  Starboard  Watch. 

Forenoon  Watch,  from  8  till  12  A.  M. 

From  8  till  10.  2d  Lieut.,  1st  Master,  2d  Mid. 
First  Part  of  the  Port  Watch.  Second  Part  of  Port 
Watch  off  Duty.  All  the  Starboard  Watch  study 
and  recite  till  12. 

From  10  till  12.  4th  Lieut,  3d  Master,  4th  Mid. 
Second  Part  of  Port  Watch.  First  Part  of  Port  Watch 
off  Duty. 

Afternoon  Watch,  from  12  till  4  P.  M. 

From  12  till  2.  1st  Lieut.,  2d  Master,  1st  Mid. 
First  Part  of  Starboard  Watch.  Second  Part  of  the 
Starboard  Watch  off  Duty.  All  the  Port  Watch 
study  and  recite  till  4. 

From  2  till  4.  3d  Lieut.,  4th  Master,  3d  Mid. 
Second  Part  of  the  Starboard  Watch.  First  Part  of 
the  Starboard  Watch  off  Duty. 

First  Dog  Watch,  from  4  till  6  P.  M. 

From  4  till  5.  2d  Lieut,  1st  Master,  2d  Mid. 
First  Part  of  the  Port  Watch.  Second  Part  of  the 
Port  Watch  off  Duty.  All  the  Starboard  Watch 
study  and  recite  till  6. 

From  5  till  6.  4th  Lieut.,  3d  Master,  4th  Mid. 
Second  Part  of  the  Port  Watch.  First  Part  of  the 
Port  Watch  off  Duty. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 45 

Second  Dog  Watch,  from  6  till  S  P.  Af. 

From  6  till  7.  1st  Lieut.,  2d  Master,  1st  Mid. 
First  Part  of  the  Starboard  Watch.  Second  Part  of 
the  Starboard  Watch  off  Duty.  All  the  Port  Watcb 
study  and  recite  till  8. 

From  7  till  8.  3d  Lieut.,  4th  Master,  3d  Mid. 
Second  Part  of  the  Starboard  Watch.  First  Part  of 
the  Starboard  Watch  off  Duty. 

Breakfast. 

Port  Watch,  7£  o'clock. 

Starboard  Watch,  8  o'clock. 

Dinner. 

Starboard  Watch,  n£  o'clock. 

Port  Watch)  12  o'clock. 

Supper. 

Starboard  Watch,  5J-  o'clock. 

Port  Watch,  6  o'clock. 

The  watch  bill  for  the  second  day  was  the  same, 
with  the  exception  of  the  names  of  the  watches  and 
quarter  watches.  The  entire  programme  was  reversed 
by  the  operation  of  the  dog  watches,  which  substituted 
"  port"  for  "  starboard,"  and  "  starboard  "  for  "  port," 
in  the  next  day's  routine. 

When  the  boys  were  permitted  to  go  below,  they 
rushed  to  the  watch  bills,  and  studied  them  faithful- 
ly, till  they  fully  understood  the  programme.  Each 
student  ascertained  his  duty   for  the   night,   and   his 


I46  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

off-lime  and  study-hours  for  the  next  day,  which  were 
included  in  the  first  day's  bill. 

"  I  go  on  at  twelve  o'clock,"  said  Paul  Kendall,  in 
the  after  cabin,  when  he  had  examined  the  bill. 

"And  I  go  on  deck  at  eight  o'clock,"  added  Joseph 
Haven,  the  first  lieutenant.  "  I  shall  have  a  chance 
to  sleep  from  ten  till  four  in  the  morning,  and  an  hour 
and  a  half,  from  six  till  half  past  seven." 

"  I  shall  have  my  watch  below  from  two  till  break- 
fast time.  I  don't  think  we  need  wear  ourselves  out 
under  this  arrangement." 

"  No  ;  I  thought  we  should  be  obliged  to  take  four 
hours  of  duty  at  a  time  on  deck." 

"  How  will  it  be  when  we  have  rough  weather?" 
asked  Paul. 

"  I  don't  know  ;  I  suppose  we  must  take  our  chances 
then." 

"What  do  you  think  of  Shuffles'  case?"  added 
Paul. 

"  Pie  will  get  the  worst  of  it." 

"  I'm  sorry  for  him.  He  behaved  first  rate  last 
year,  though  they  say  he  used  to  be  a  hard  fellow." 

"  What's  the  use  of  a  fellow  doing  as  he  has  done?  " 
said  Haven,  with  palpable  disgust.  "  He  can't  make 
anything  by  it." 

"  Of  course  he  can't." 

"  I  would  rather  have  him  in  the  cabin  than  in  the 
steerage,  for  he  will  not  obey  orders ;  and  when  he  is 
ugly,  he  is  a  perfect  tiger.  I  wonder  what  Mr.  Low- 
ington  is  going  to  do  with  him.  There  is  no  such 
thing  as  expelling  a  fellow  in  this  institution  now.     If 


YOUNG    AMERICA    AFLOAT.  147 

he  means  to  be  cross-grained,  he  can  keep  us  in  hot 
water  all  the  time." 

The  officers  were  too  much  excited  by  the  fact  that 
the  ship  was  outward  bound  to  remain  long  in  the 
cabin,  and  they  returned  to  the  deck  to  watch  the 
progress  of  the  vessel.  At  eight  o'clock  the  Young 
America  was  out  of  sight  of  land,  though  it  would 
have  been  too  dark  to  see  it  ten  miles  distant.  The 
quartermaster,  at  the  helm,  struck  eight  bells,  which 
were  repeated  on  the  forecastle. 

u  All  the  first  part  of  the  starboard  watch,  ahoy ! " 
shouted  the  boatswain,  for  it  was  now  time  to  com- 
mence the  programme  of  regular  sea  duty. 

The  first  lieutenant  took  his  place,  as  officer  of  the 
deck,  near  the  helm;  the  second  master  on  the  fore- 
castle, and  the  third  midshipman  in  the  waist.  The 
first  part  of  the  starboard  watch  were  stationed  in 
various  parts  of  the  deck.  Of  the  four  quartermasters, 
one  was  attached  to  each  quarter  watch.  The  wheel 
was  given  to  two  hands  for  the  first  hour,  and  two 
were  placed  on  the  top-gallant  forecastle,  to  act  as  the 
lookout  men,  to  be  relieved  after  one  hour's  service. 
The  rest  of  the  boys  were  required  to  keep  awake,  but 
no  special  duty  was  assigned  to  them.  There  were 
hands  enough  on  deck  to  "  tack  ship,"  or  to  take  in 
the  sails,  one  or  two  at  a  time. 

Though  the  ship  was  nominally  in  the  hands  and 
under  the  direction  of  her  juvenile  officers,  who  per- 
formed all  the  duties  required  in  working  her,  yet 
they  were  closely  watched  by  the  principal,  who,  if 
there  was  anything  wrong,  informed  the  captain  of 
the  fact.     The  commander  kent  no  watch,  but  he  was 


I48  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

responsible  for  every  manoeuvre,  and  for  the  regular 
routine  of  duty.  Mr.  Lowington  seldom  spoke  to 
any  other  officer  in  regard  to  ship's  duty  or  the  navi- 
gation. 

When  the  watch  was  set,  at  eight  bells,  most  of  the 
boys  who  were  off  duty  went  into  the  steerage.  Some 
of  them  turned  in  ;  but  the  novelty  of  the  occasion 
was  too  great  to  permit  them  to  sleep.  They  collected 
in  groups,  to  talk  over  the  prospects  of  the  voyage,  and 
the  duties  required  of  them,  as  indicated  by  the  watch 
bill. 

Shuffles  sat  on  a  stool  in  the  brig,  still  nursing 
his  wrath.  When  his  supper  was  carried  to  him  by 
the  steward,  his  irons  had  been  taken  off.  He  refused 
to  eat,  and  the  food  was  removed.  As  he  was  now 
quiet,  the  irons  were  not  replaced.  The  prisoner  was 
far  from  penitent  for  his  offence. 

Mr.  Agneau,  the  chaplain,  -was  very  much  con- 
cerned about  the  prisoner.  He  was  shocked  by  his 
disobedience,  and  pained  to  find  that  one  who  had 
done  so  well  could  do  so  ill.  The  case  had  been  fully 
considered  in  the  professors'  cabin  ;  and  Mr.  Lowing- 
ton declared  that  Shuffles  should  stay  in  the  brig 
till  he  had  repented  of  his  folly,  and  promised  obe- 
dience for  the  future.  The  chaplain  was  a  tender- 
hearted man,  and  he  thought  that  some  gentle  words 
might  touch  the  feelings  of  the  prisoner,  and  bring 
him  to  a  sense  of  duty.  With  the  principal's  permis- 
sion, therefore,  he  paid  a  visit  to  Shuffles  in  the 
evening. 

"  I  am  very  sorry  to  find  you  here,  Shuffles,"  said 
Mr.  Agneau,  when  he  had  locked  the  door  behind  him. 


YOUNG    AMERICA    AFLOAT.  I49 

"Has  Lowington  sent  you  to  torment  me?"  de- 
manded the  prisoner. 

"  Mr.  Lowington,  you  mean,"  added  the  chaplain, 
gently. 

"  No,  I  mean  Lowington.  When  a  man  has  abused 
and  insulted  me,  I  can't  stop  to  put  a  handle  to  his 
name." 

"  I  regret  to  find  you  in  such  an  unhappy  frame  of 
mind,  my  young  friend.  I  came  here  of  my  own 
accord,   to  do  what  I  might  to  help  you." 

"  Did  you,  indeed  !  "  sneered  Shuffles. 

"  That  was  my  only  object." 

"  Was  it?  Well,  if  you  want  to  help  me,  you  will 
induce  Lowington  to  let  me  out  of  this  crib,  apologize 
for  what  he  has  done,  and  give  me  my  place  in  the 
after  cabin." 

"  That  is  plainly  impossible,"  replied  the  astonished 
chaplain. 

"  Then  you  can't  do  anything  for  me  ;  and  I  think  I 
can  take  care  of  myself." 

"  I  entreat  you,  my  young  friend,  to  consider  the 
error  of  your  ways." 

u  There  is  no  error  in  my  ways,  Mr.  Agneau." 

"  You  are  unreasonable." 

"  No,  I'm  not.     I  only  want  what  is  fair  and  right." 

"  Was  it  right  for  you,  Shuffles,  to  refuse  obedience 
to  the  principal,  when  he  told  you  to  go  aft?" 

M I  have  always  obeyed  all  proper  orders ;  and 
under  the  circumstances,  I  think  it  was  right  for  me 
to  refuse." 

"  You  fill  me  with  amazement ! "  exclaimed  the 
chaplain. 

13* 


I50  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  You  know  it  was  not  fair  to  give  out  the  offices  by 
iast  year's  marks,"  protested  Shuffles. 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  think  it  was  entirely  fair." 

"  I  haven't  anything  more  to  say  if  it  was,"  replied 
Shuffles,  in  surly  tones. 

The  chaplain,  finding  the  prisoner  was  not  in  a 
proper  frame  of  mind  for  edifying  conversation, 
left  him,  and  returned  to  the  professors'  cabin.  The 
boys  had  been  forbidden  to  go  near  the  brig,  or  to 
speak  to  the  prisoner  ;  and  thus  far  no  one  had  ex- 
hibited any  disposition  to  disregard  the  order.  Many 
of  them,  as  they  passed  near  the  brig,  glanced  curiously 
at  him.  After  the  departure  of  the  chaplain,  Wilton 
sat  down  on  a  stool  near  the  lock-up. 

"  How  are  you,  Shuffles?"  said  he,  in  a  low  tone. 

"Come  here,  Wilton  — will  you?"  replied  the 
prisoner. 

"  I  can't ;  we  are  not  allowed  to  speak  to  you." 

"  What  do  you  care  for  that?    No  one  can  see  you." 

"What  do  you  want?" 

"  I  want  to  talk  with  you." 

"  I  shall  be  punished  if  I'm  caught." 

"  You  won't  be  caught.  How  are  our  fellows 
now?" 

"  First  rate,"  replied  Wilton,  walking  up  and  down 
the  berth  deck,  rising  and  looking  as  though  nothing 
was  going  on. 

"  You  know  what  we  were  talking  about  just  before 
the  row,"  added  Shuffles,  drawing  his  stool  up  to  the 
palings. 

"  You  said  you  wouldn't  trust  me,"  answered  Wilton, 
still  pacing  the  deck  in  front  of  the  brig. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  151 

"  You  told  Lowington  about  something  lie  had  no 
business  to  know  ;  but  I  forgive  you,  Wilton." 

"  You  are  very  willing  to  forgive  me,  now  you  are 
in  a  tight  place." 

"  It  was  mean  of  you  to  do  it,  Wilton  ;  you  can't 
deny  that.  Lowington  was  on  the  best  of  terms  with 
me  when  I  was  in  the  after  cabin,  and  I  might  have 
told  him  a  hundred  things  about  you." 

"  Didn't  you  tell  him  anything?" 

"  Not  a  word." 

"  Well,  you  are  a  good  fellow,  and  I  always  thought 
you  were.  I  couldn't  see  why  you  turned  traitor  to 
us  when  we  intended  to  spend  the  Fourth  of  July  on 
shore." 

"  I  was  obliged  to  do  what  I  did.  If  I  hadn't,  I 
should  have  been  turned  out  of  my  office." 

"  Perhaps  you  were  right,  Shuffles,  and  we  won't 
say  anything  more  about  the  past,"  replied  Wilton, 
who  was  too  willing  to  be  on  good  terms  with  the 
powerful  malcontent,  even  while  he  was  a  prisoner 
and  in  disgrace. 

"  Wilton,  I  am  going  to  be  captain  of  this  ship 
within  ten  days,"  said  Shuffles,  in  a  whisper.  "  Now 
you  may  go  and  tell  Lowington  of  that." 

"  Of  course  I  shall  not  tell  him,"  added  Wilton, 
indignantly. 

tk  I  told  you  merely  to  show  you  that  I  had  full  con- 
fidence in  you  —  that's  all.  You  can  betray  me  if 
you   wish  to  do  so." 

"  I  don't  wish  to  do  anything  of  the  kind.  Of 
course  we  shall  always  go  together,,  as  we  did  before 
you  were  an  officer." 


152  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  I  shall  be  an  officer  again  soon." 

"  What's  the  use  of  talking  about  such  a  thing?  " 

44  I  shall." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  get  up  the  mutiny?  " 

"  I  do.  I  feel  more  like  it  now  than  I  ever  did 
before,"  replied  Shuffles ;  and  his  low  tones  came 
from  between  his  closed  teeth. 

"  It's  no  use  to  think  of  such  a  thing.  It's  too 
wild." 

"  No  matter  if  it  is  ;  it  shall  be  carried  out." 

"  The  fellows  won't  go  in  for  it ;  they  won't  dare  to 
do  it." 

"  Yes,  they  will.  I  know  them  better  than  you  do, 
Wilton.  It  isn't  quite  time  yet ;  but  in  three  or  four 
days  they  will  be  ready  for  anything." 

"  You  can't  bring  them  up  to  what  you  mean." 

"  Yes,  I  can." 

"  What  do  you  expect  to  do,  locked  up  in  that 
place?"  demanded  Wilton,  incredulously. 

44  When  I  get  ready  to  go  out  of  this  place,  I  shall 
go.     I  needn't  stay  here  any  longer  than  I  please." 

"  Do  you  really  mean  to  get  up  a  mutiny?" 

"  Hush  !     Don't  call  it  by  that  name." 

44  What  shall  I  call  it?" 

44  Call  it  making  a  chain." 

44 1  don't  understand  you,"  answered  Wilton,  puz- 
zled by  the  expression. 

44  I  know  what  I'm  about,  and  I  have  got  more 
friends  in  the  ship  than  Lowington  has.  And  I  know 
exactly  how  to  manage  the  whole  thing,"  added  Shuf- 
fles, confidently. 

44  But  the  fellows  are  all  perfectly  satisfied  with  their 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 53 

condition.  They  wish  to  go  to  Europe,  and  are  pleased 
With  the  prospect  before  them." 

"  Perhaps  they  are  ;  and  they  shall  all  go  to  Europe, 
and  travel  about  without  being  tied  to  Lowington's 
coat-tails.  I  shall  come  out  of  this  place  to-morrow, 
and  we  will  work  the  thing  up." 

"I'm  in  for  a  time  with  any  good  fellow;  but  i 
don't  think  we  can  make  this  thing  go,"  said  Wilton. 
"  Hush  !  Don't  say  another  word.  There  comes  ai\ 
officer." 

One  bell,  indicating  half  past  eight  in  the  evening, 
struck  on  deck.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  master  and 
midshipman  on  deck,  alternately,  to  pass  through  the 
steerage  every  half  hour  during  the  watch,  to  see  that 
there  was  no  disorder,  and  that  the  lights  were  all 
secure,  so  as  to  avoid  any  danger  from  fire.  Henry 
Martyn,  the  second  master,  performed  this  office  on 
the  present  occasion.  He  descended  the  main  ladder, 
and  Wilton,  who  expected  the  visit  when  he  heard 
the  stroke  of  the  bell,  retreated  to  his  mess  room, 
and  threw  himself  into  his  berth.  Harry  walked 
around  the  steerage,  and  glanced  into  the  gangways, 
from  which  the  rooms  opened. 

"  Harry,"  said  Shuffles,  in  a  low  tone,  as  the  master 
was  about  to  return  to  the  deck. 

"Did  you  speak  to  me?"  asked  Harry,  stepping 
up  to  the  bars  of  the  cage. 

"  I  did.  Will  you  oblige  me  by  telling  the  chaplain 
that  I  would  like  to  see  him?"  added  the  prisoner. 

"  I  will ; "  and  Harry  knocked  at  the  door  of  the 
professors'  cabin. 


154  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 


CHAPTER  X. 


MAKING     A     CHAIN. 


THE  chaplain  was  too  glad  of  an  opportunity  to 
converse  with  the  prisoner  to  refuse  his  request, 
and  he  hastened  to  the  brig,  hoping  to  find  Shuffles  in  a 
better  state  of  mind  than  when  he  had  visited  him 
before.  Mr.  Agneau  entered  the  lock-up,  and  was 
securing  thfc  door  behind  him,  when  the  prisoner 
spoke. 

"  You  needn't  lock  it,  sir ;  I  will  not  attempt  to 
escape,"  said  he.  u  I  sent  for  you  to  apologize  for  my 
rudeness." 

"  Indeed  !  Then  I  am  very  glad  to  see  you,"  replied 
the  delighted  chaplain.  "  I  have  been  sorely  grieved 
at  your  misconduct,  and  I  would  fain  have  brought 
you  to  see  the  error  of  your  ways." 

"  I  see  it  now,  sir,"  replied  Shuffles,  with  appar- 
ent penitence.  "  I'm  afraid  I  am  a  great  deal  worse 
than  you  think  I  am,  sir." 

"  It  is  of  no  consequence  what  I  think,  Shuffles,  if 
you  are  conscious  of  the  wrong  you  have  done," 
added  the  worthy  chaplain.  "  You  behaved  exceed- 
ingly well  last  year,  and  it  almost  broke  my  heart  to 
see  you  relapsing  into  your  former  evil  habits." 

"  I  am  grateful  to  you  for  the  interest  you   have 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.     *  1 55 

taken  in  me,  and  I  assure  you  I  have  often  been  en- 
couraged to  do  well  by  your  kind  words,"  continued 
the  penitent,  with  due  humility.  "  I  have  done  wrong, 
and  I  don't  deserve  to  be  forgiven." 

"  '  He  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted,'  "  said 
Mr.  Agneau,  gratified  at  the  great  change  which  had 
apparently  been  wrought  in  the  prisoner.  u  If  you 
are  really  sorry  for  your  offence,  Mr.  Lowington,  I 
doubt  not,  will  pardon  you,  and  restore  you  to  favor 
again." 

"  I  don't  deserve  it,  sir.  Since  you  left  me,  I  have 
been  thinking  of  my  past  life.  I  dare  not  tell  you 
how  bad  I  have  been." 

"  You  need  not  tell  me.  It  is  not  necessary  that 
you  should  confess  your  errors  to  me.  There  is  One 
who  knows  them,  and  if  you  are  sincerely  repentant 
He  will  pity  and  forgive  you." 

"  I  think  I  should  feel  better  if  I  told  some  one  of 
my  misdeeds." 

"  Perhaps  you  would  ;  that  is  for  you  to  judge.  I 
will  sneak  to  Mr.  Lowington  about  vou  to-nieht. 
What  shall  I  say  to  him  ?  " 

"  I  hardly  know.  I  deserve  to  be  punished.  I  have 
done  wrong,  and  am  willing  to  suffer  for  it." 

The  tender-hearted  chaplain  thought  that  Shuffles 
was  in  a  beautiful  state  of  mind,  and  he  desired  to 
have  him  released  at  once,  that  he  might  converse 
with  him  on  great  themes  under  more  favorable  cir- 
cumstances ;  but  Shuffles  still  detained  him. 

"  I'm  afraid  I  have  ruined  myself  on  board  this 
ship,"  continued  Shuffles,  persisting  in  his  self-humili- 
ation. 


156  *  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  If  you  manfully  acknowledge  your  fault,  you  will 
be  freely  and  generously  forgiven." 

"  Mr.  Lowington  hates  me  now,  after  what  I  have 
done." 

"  O,  far  from  it!"  exclaimed  the  chaplain.  "It 
will  be  a  greater  satisfaction  to  him  than  to  you  to  for- 
give you.  You  are  no  longer  of  the  opinion  that  you 
were  unfairly  used  in  the  distribution  of  the  offices,  I 
suppose." 

"  Mr.  Agneau,  I  was  beside  myself  when  I  resisted 
the  principal.  I  should  not  have  done  it  if  I  had  been 
in  my  right  mind." 

"  You  were  very  angry." 

"  I  was  —  I  was  not  myself." 

"  Anger  often  makes  men  crazy." 

"  You  don't  understand  me,  Mr.  Agneau." 

"  Indeed,  I  do.  You  mean  that  you  deluded  your- 
self into  the  belief  that  you  had  been  wronged,  and 
that  you  ought  not  to  obey  the  orders  of  your  officers, 
and  of  the  principal.  The  force  that  was  used  made 
you  so  angry  that  you  did  not  know  what  you  were 
about,"  added  the  sympathizing  chaplain. 

"  In  one  word,  Mr.  Agneau,  I  had  been  drinking," 
said  Shuffles,  with  something  like  desperation  in  his 
manner,  as  he  bent  his  head,  and  covered  his  face 
with  his  hands. 

"  Drinking  !  "  gasped  the  chaplain,  filled  with  horror 
at  the  confession. 

14 1  told  you  I  was  worse  than  you  thought  I  was," 
moaned  Shuffles. 

"  Is  it  possible  !  " 

"  It  is  true,  sir  ;  I  say  it  with  shame." 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  1 57 

"  Are  you  in  the  habit  of  taking  intoxicating 
drinks?"  asked  the  chaplain,  confounded  beyond 
measure  at  this  complication  of  the  difficulty. 

"  I  am  not  in  the  habit  of  it,  because  I  can't  get 
liquor  all  the  time.  My  father  has  wine  on  his  table, 
and  I  always  was  allowed  to  drink  one  glass." 

"  Can  it  be  !  "  ejaculated  the  chaplain.  "  A  youth 
of  seventeen " 

"  I'm  eighteen  now,  sir." 

"  A  youth  of  eighteen  in  the  habit  of  taking  wine  !  " 
groaned  Mr.  Agneau. 

"  I  drank  a  great  deal  more  than  my  father  knew 
of  while  I  was  at  home." 

"  I  am  amazed  !  " 

"  I  knew  you  would  be,  sir ;  but  I  have  told  you  the 
truth  now." 

"  But  where  did  you  get  your  liquor  to-day?" 

"  It  was  wine,  sir." 

"  Where  did  you  get  it?  " 

"  I  brought  two  bottles  on  board  with  me  when  I 
reported  for  duty  yesterday." 

"  This  is  terrible,  Shuffles !  Do  you  know  what 
an  awful  habit  you  are  contracting,  my  dear  young 
friend?" 

"  I  never  thought  much  about  it  till  to-night.  It  has 
got  me  into  such  a  scrape  this  time,  that  I  don't  believe 
1  shall  ever  drink  any  more." 

"  As  you  respect  yourself,  as  you  hope  for  peace  in 
this  world,  and  peace  in  the  next,  never  put  the  cup  to 
your  lips  again.  '  Wine  is  a  mocker  ;  strong  drink  is 
raging  ;  and  whosoever  is  deceived  thereby  is  not  wise.' 
Did  you  drink  the  two  bottles?" 

T4 


158  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  No,  sir  ;  only  part  of  one  bottle,"  replied  Shuffles, 
with  commendable  promptness. 

"  Where  is  the  rest  of  it?  " 

"  Under  my  berth-sack." 

"Are  you  willing  I  should  take  possession  of  it,  and 
hand  it  to  Mr.  Lowington  ?  " 

"  I  will  agree  to  anything  which  you  think  is 
right." 

"  Then  I  will  take  the  wine  and  throw  it  over- 
board." 

'  "Just  as  you  think  best,  sir.  You  will  find  the  two 
bottles  in  my  berth,  No.  43,  Gangway  D, — the  for- 
ward one  on  the  starboard  side." 

"  I  hope  you  will  never  touch  the  wine-cup  again." 

"  I  will  not  —  till  next  time,"  added  Shuffles,  as  the 
chaplain  moved  towards  the  door  of  the  brig. 

"  '  Look  not  thou  upon  the  wine  when  it  is  red, 
when  it  giveth  his  color  in  the  cup,  at  the  last  it  biteth 
like  a  serpent,  and  stingeth  like  an  adder,' "  continued 
the  chaplain,  as  he  passed  out  of  the  lock-up. 

Mr.  Agneau  went  to  the  prisoner's  berth,  and  found 
the  two  bottles  of  wine.  They  were  a  sufficient  ex- 
planation of  the  remarkable  conduct  of  Shuffles.  The 
youth  had  "  drank  wTine,  and  was  drunken,"  otherwise 
he  would  not  have  been  guilty  of  such  flagrant  diso- 
bedience. Though  in  his  own  estimation  the  excuse 
was  worse  than  the  original  fault,  yet  it  was  an  expla- 
nation ;  and  if  the  root  of  the  evil  could  be  removed, 
the  evil  itself  would  cease  to  exist.  The  wine  could 
be  thrown  overboard,  and  as  no  more  could  be  ob- 
tained during  the  voyage,  the  good  conduct  of  the 
young  tippler  would  be  insured,  at  least  till  the  ship 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 59 

reached  Queenstown,  which  was  the  port  to  which 
she  was  bound. 

With  the  two  bottles  in  his  hands,  the  chaplain 
returned  to  the  professors'  cabin.  Mr.  Lowington  was 
on  deck.  He  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to  leave  the 
ship  in  the  hands  of  the  students,  at  first,  without  any 
supervision,  and  it  was  arranged  that  the  principal, 
Mr.  Fluxion,  and  Mr.  Peake,  the  boatswain,  should 
take  turns  in  observing  the  course  and  management  of 
the  vessel.  Mr.  Agneau  carried  the  prize  he  had  cap- 
tured on  deck,  and  informed  Mr.  Lowington  what  had 
just  transpired  in  the  brig. 

"  I  knew  the  boy  drank  wine  when  he  was  at  home," 
replied  the  principal ;  "  and  if  he  is  ruined,  his  father 
must  blame  himself." 

"  But  it  is  really  shocking !  "  exclaimed  the  chap- 
lain, as  he  tossed  one  of  the  bottles  of  wine  over  the 
rail.  "  How  can  a  parent  permit  his  son  to  drink 
wine,  when  he  knows  that  more  men  are  killed  by 
intemperance  than  by  war  and  pestilence?  I  am 
amazed !  " 

"  So  am  I,  Mr.  Agneau." 

"  The  boy  is  hardly  to  blame  for  his  conduct,  since 
he  contracted  this  vicious  habit  under  the  eye  of  his 
father." 

The  discipline  of  the  ship  must  be  preserved." 

"  Certainly,  Mr.  Lowington." 

"  And  the  boy  is  just  as  much  to  blame  for  his  act 
of  disobedience  as  though  it  had  been  done  in  his 
sober  senses." 

"  But  you  can  afford  to  pardon  him,  under  the  cir- 
cumstances." 


l6o  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  I  will  do  that  when  he  is  willing  to  make  a  proper 
acknowledgment  of  his  offence  in  the  presence  of  the 
ship's  company,  before  whom  the  act  was  committed." 

"  He  is  quite  ready  to  do  so  now." 

"  If  he  will  say  as  much  as  that  to  me,  he  shall  be 
released  at  once." 

"  He  will,  sir." 

"  It  is  very  strange  to  me  that  I  noticed  nothing 
peculiar  in  the  boy's  speech  or  manner  at  the  time," 
added  the  principal.  "  He  certainly  did  not  seem  to 
be  intoxicated." 

"  Probably  he  had  taken  just  enough  to  inflame  his 
evil  passions,  without  affecting  his  manner,"  suggested 
the  chaplain. 

"  I  did  not  even  discover  the  odor  of  wine  upon 
him." 

"  Perhaps  you  did  not  go  near  enough  to  him.  If 
you  please,  Mr.  Lowington,  we  will  go  down  and  see 
him  ;  and  you  can  judge  for  yourself  whether  or  not 
it  is  prudent  to  release  him." 

"  I  will." 

"  Thank  you,  sir.  I  feel  a  deep  interest  in  the 
young  man,   and  I  hope  he   may  yet  be  saved." 

When  Mr.  Agneau  left  the  brig,  after  his  second 
visit,  Wilton,  who  was  very  anxious  to  know  what 
Shuffles  meant  by  "  making  a  chain,"  came  out  of  his 
mess  room.  He  had  been  watching  the  chaplain, 
and  wondering  what  the  prisoner  could  have  to  say 
to  him. 

"What's  up,  Shuffles?"  asked  Wilton,  when  Mr. 
Agneau  had  left  the  steerage. 

"  I've  been  smoothing  him  down,"  laughed  Shuffles, 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  l6l 

with  an  audible  chuckle.     "  I  have  concluded  not  to 
stay  in  here  any  longer." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  I'm  coming  out  pretty  soon,  though  it  has  cost  me 
a  bottle  and  a  half  of  old  sherry  to  get  out,"  laughed 
Shuffles. 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  mean." 

"  I  told  the  parson  that  I  was  drunk  when  I  diso- 
beyed orders,  and  that  I  was  very  sorry  for  it,  and 
wouldn't  get  drunk  any  more." 

"Did  you  tell  him  that?" 

"  I  did  ;  1  assured  him  I  was  the  worst  fellow  in  the 
whole  world,  and  ought  to  be  hung,  drawn,  and  quar- 
tered for  my  wickedness ;  and  he  swallowed  it  as  a 
codfish  does  a  clam." 

"  And  you  gave  him  all  the  wine?  " 

"  No,  I  didn't ;  I  gave  him  one  full  bottle,  and  what 
was-  left  in  the  one  from  which  we  drank  this  after- 
noon.    I  have  two  more." 

"  We  were  going  to  have  a  good  time  with  that 
wine." 

"  I  have  enough  left." 

"Where  is  it?" 

"  In  my  locker." 

14  They  may  find  it." 

i4  No,  they  won't ;  I  wTill  put  it  in  some  other  place 
before  inspection  day.  There  is  plenty  of  wine  in  the 
medicul  stores.  It  was  a  good  joke  for  the  parson  to 
suppose  1  was  di'unk." 

"  Perhaps  you  were,"  suggested  Wilton. 

"  I  felt  good ;  but  I  was  as  sober  as  I  am  now." 
14* 


1 62  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  The  drink  I  took  went  into  my  head,  and  I  felt  as 
though  I  was  going  up  in  a  ballon." 

"  That  was  because  you  are  not  used  to  the  arti- 
cle. It  waked  me  up  a  little,  but  I  knew  what  I  was 
about." 

"  I  think  you  were  a  confounded  fool  to  do  what 
you  did." 

"  Wilton,  I'm  not  going  to  live  in  the  steerage  — 
you  may  take  my  word  for  it.  I've  been  an  officer 
too  long  to  come  down  to  that.  If  we  don't  succeed 
in  making  a  chain,  I  shall  quit  the  concern  the  first 
time  I  put  my  foot  on  shore  in  Ireland." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  making  a  chain?"  asked 
Wilton,  eagerly. 

"  A  chain  is  strong." 

"Well;  what  of  it?" 

"  It  is  composed  of  many  links.  Can't  you  under- 
stand that?" 

"  Hush  up  !  Some  one  is  coming,"  said  Wilton,  as 
he  walked  away  from  the  brig. 

"  Here  !  who  is  that?  "  demanded  Mr.  Lowington, 
as  he  saw  Wilton  moving  away  from  the  lock-up. 

"  No.  59,  sir  —  Wilton,"  replied  he.  "  I  was  just 
going  on  deck  to  find  you,  sir." 

"To  find  me?"  asked  the  principal. 

"  Yes,  sir.  Shuffles  called  me  when  I  was  passing, 
and  wished  me  to  tell  you  he  wanted  to  see  you  very 
much.     I  was  just  going  after  you,'Sir." 

"  If  there  is  any  blame,  sir,  it  rests  on  me,"  inter- 
posed Shuffles,  through  the  bars  of  his  prison. 

Mr.  Lowington  unlocked  the  door  of  the  brig,  and 
entered,  followed  by  Mr.  Agneau,  leaving  Wilton  to 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 63 

congratulate  himself  on  the  result  of  the  lies  he  had 
uttered. 

"  I  am  told  you  wish  to  see  me,  Shuffles,"  said  the 
principal. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  I  wish  to  say  that  I  am  extremely  sorry 
for  what  I  have  done." 

"  I  thought  you  were  crazy  when  you  refused  to 
obey  ;  and  now  I  find  you  were."    . 

"  I  had  been  drinking,  sir,  I  confess." 

"  Mr.  Agneau  has  told  me  your  story ;  it  is  not 
necessary  to  repeat  it  now.  To-morrow  I  shall  require 
you  to  acknowledge  your  error  at  muster,  and  promise 
obedience  in  the  future.     Are  you  willing  to  do  so?  " 

"  I  am,  sir." 

"  You  are  discharged  from  confinement  then,  and 
will  at  once  return  to  your  duty,"  replied  Mr.  Lowing- 
ton,  upon  whom  Shuffles  did  not  venture  to  intrude 
his  extremely  penitential  story.  "  To  which  watch  do 
you  belong?" 

"  To  the  port  watch,  first  part,  sir." 

"  It  will  be  on  deck  during  the  first  half  of  the  mid 
watch,  from  twelve  till  two,"  added  the  principal,  as 
he  came  out  of  the  brig. 

Mr.  Lowington  made  no  parade  of  what  he  had 
done.  He  never  subjected  any  student  to  unneces- 
sary humiliation.  He  indulged  in  ho  reproaches,  and 
preached  no  sermons.  He  went  on  deck,  intending 
to  leave  the  culprit  to  the  influence  of  the  better 
thoughts  which  he  hoped  and  believed  had  been 
kindled  in  his  mind  by  the  events  of  the  day.  Mr. 
Agneau  remained  a  moment  to  give  a  final  admoni- 


164  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

tion  to  the  penitent,  as  he  regarded  him,  and  then 
went  to  his  cabin. 

u  Are  you  going  to  turn  in,  Shuffles?"  asked 
Wilton. 

*'  Not  yet.     Are  there  any  of  our  fellows  below?  " 

"  Plenty  of  them." 

"  Our  fellows  "  was  a  term  applied  to  that  portion 
of  the  crew  who  were  understood  to  be  ready  for  any 
scrape  which  might  be  suggested.  Shuffles  had  coinea 
the  expression  himself,  while  at  the  Brockway  Acad- 
emy, and  introduced  it  on  board  the  ship.  Without 
concealment  or  palliation,  they  were  bad  boys.  By 
the  discipline  of  the  ship  they  were  kept  in  good 
order,  and  compelled  to  perform  their  duties. 

As  in  every  community  of  men  or  boys,  where 
persons  of  kindred  tastes  find  each  other  out.  the  bad 
boys  in  the  Young  America  had  discovered  those  of 
like  tendencies,  and  a  bond  of  sympathy  and  associa- 
tion had  been  established  among  them.  They  knew 
and  were  known  of  each  other. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  equally  true,  that  there  was 
a  bond  of  sympathy  and  association  among  the  good 
boys,  as  there  is  among  good  men.  If  a  good  man 
wishes  to  establish  a  daily  prayer  meeting,  he  does 
not  apply  to  the  intemperate,  the  profane  swearers,  and 
the  Sabbath  breakers  of  his  neighborhood  for  help  ; 
there  is  a  magnetism  among  men  which  leads  him  to 
the  right  persons.  If  a  bad  man  intends  to  get  up  a 
mob,  a  raffle,  or  a  carousal,  he  does  not  seek  assistance 
among  those  who  go  to  church  every  Sunday,  and 
refrain  from  evil  practices,  either  from  principle  or 
policy.     He  makes  no  mistakes  of  this  kind. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 65 

In  every  community,  perhaps  one  fourth  of  the  whole 
number  are  positively  good,  and  one  fourth  positively 
bad,  while  the  remaining  two  fourths  are  more  or  less 
good  or  more  or  less  bad,  floating  undecided  between 
the  two  poles  of  the  moral  magnet,  sometimes  drawn 
one  way,  and  sometimes  the  other. 

The  Young  America  was  a  world  in  herself,  and 
the  moral  composition'  of  her  people  was  similar  to 
that  of  communities  on  a  larger  scale.  She  had  all 
the  elements  of  good  and  evil  on  board.  One  fourth 
of  the  students  were  doubtless  high-minded,  moral 
young  men,  having  fixed  principles,  and  being  willing 
to  make  great  sacrifices  rather  than  do  wrong.  As 
good  behavior,  as  well  as  proficiency  in  the  studies, 
was  an  element  of  success  in  the  ship,  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  positively  good  boys  were  in  the  after 
cabin. 

Another  fourth  of  the  students  were  reckless  and 
unprincipled,  with  no  respect  for  authority,  except  so 
far  as  it  was  purchased  by  fear  of  punishment  or  hope 
of  reward.  Occasionally  one  of  this  class  worked  his 
Way  into  the  cabin  by  superior  natural  ability,  and  a 
spasmodic  attempt  to  better  his  condition  on  board. 

The  rest  of  the  ship's  company  belonged  to  the 
indefinite,  undecided  class,  floating  more  or  less  distant 
from  the  positive  elements  of  good  or  evil.  They  were 
not  bad  boys,  for,  with  proper  influences,  they  could  be, 
and  were,  kept  from  evil  ways.  They  were  not  good 
boys  on  principle,  for  they  could  be  led  away  in  paths 
of  error. 

"  Our  fellows  "  were  the  positively  bad  boys  of  the 
floating  academy  ;  and  they  existed  in  no  greater  pro- 


1 66  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

portion  in  the  ship's  company  than  in  the  communi- 
ties of  the  great  world.  To  this  class  belonged 
Shuffles,  Wilton,  Monroe,  and  others.  To  the  posi- 
tively good  boys  belonged  Gordon,  Kendall,  Martyn, 
and  others  —  not  all  of  them  in  the  after  cabin,  by  any 
means. 

Shuffles  and  Wilton  walked  forward  to  find  some 
of  these  kindred  spirits.  They  seemed  to  know  just 
where  to  look  for  them,  for  they  turned  in  at  Gangway 
D.  Over  each  of  the  six  passages  from  which  the 
mess  rooms  opened,  a  lantern  was  suspended,  besides 
four  more  in  the  middle  of  the  steerage.  It  was  light 
enough,  therefore,  in  the  rooms  for  their  occupants  to 
read  coarse  print. 

In  the  lower  berths  of  mess  room  No.  8  lay  two 
students,  while  another  sat  on  a  stool  between  them. 
Their  occupation  was  sufficient  evidence  that  they 
belonged  to  "  our  fellows,"  for  they  were  shaking 
props  for  money,  on  a  stool  between  the  bunks.  As 
Shuffles  and  Wilton  approached,  they  picked  up  the 
props  and  the  stakes,  and  drew  back  into  their  beds. 

"It's  Shuffles,"  said  Philip  Sanborn.  "How  did 
you  get  out?  " 

"  Worked  out,"  replied  Shuffles,  gayly. 

"  You  don't  mean  to  say  you  broke  jail?  " 

"  No ;  that  would  have  been  too  much  trouble. 
There  was  an  easier  way,  and  I  took  that." 

"How  was  it?" 

"  Why,  I  soft-sawdered  the  parson,  and  he  soft- 
sawdered  Lowington." 

"  It's  all  right ;  go  ahead  with  the  game,"  said 
Lynch,  as  he  produced  the  props  again. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 6j 

Sanborn  placed  the  money  on  the  stool,  consisting 
of  two  quarters  in  fractional  currency.  Lynch  shook 
the  props,  and  dropped  them  on  the  stool. 

"  A  nick !  "  exclaimed  he,  snatching  the  money. 
"  I'll  go  you  a  half  now." 

"  Half  it  is,"  replied  Sanborn,  as  he  placed  the 
requisite  sum  on  the  money  the  other  laid  down. 

Lynch  rattled  the  props,  and  threw  them  down 
again. 

"  A  browner !  "  cried  he,  intensely  excited,  as  he 
seized  the  money  with  eager  hand. 

"  Don't  talk  so  loud,  you  fool !  "  added  Sanborn. 
"  The  fellows  are  asleep  above  us,  and  you  will  wake 
them  up.     I'll  go  you  a  half  again." 

"  Half  it  is  !  "  replied  Lynch,  in  a  whisper,  as  he 
shook  again. 

"  An  out !  "  said  Sanborn,  picking  up  the  money. 

"  Three  bells  !  Dry  up  !  "  interposed  Wilton.  "  One 
of  the  officers  of  the  deck  will  be  down  in  a  minute." 

The  young  gamblers  put  away  the  implements,  and 
drew  back  into  their  berths  until  the  inspecting  officer 
had  looked  into  the  room.  When  the  master  had  gone 
on  deck  again,  the  play  was  resumed,  and  Shuffles 
and  Wilton  watched  it  with  deep  interest. 

Gambling  was  a  new  thing  on  board  the  Young 
America.  It  had  not  been  practised  at  all  in  the  pre- 
ceding year,  having  been  introduced  by  Shuffles  and 
Monroe,  who  had  visited  a  prop  saloon  in  the  city 
where  they  resided,  during  their  late  furlough.  Each 
of  them  had  brought  a  set  of  props  on  board,  with 
which  they  intended  to  amuse  themselves  during  the 
voyage.     As  yet,  the  practice  was  confined  to  a  few 


1 68  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

of  "  our  fellows ; "  but  the  crew  in  the  steerage  were 
certainly  in  very  great  danger  of  being  carried  away 
by  the  passion  for  gaming,  for  it  was  spreading 
rapidly. 

The  prop-shaking  was  carried  on  in  the  mess  rooms, 
while  the  students  were  off  duty.  Shuffles  had  jjtayfed 
with  half  a  dozen  boys  the  night  before ;  Sanborn 
and  Lynch  had  been  engaged  in  the  game  since  the 
first  watch  was  set,  and  another  party  had  been  em- 
ployed in  the  same  manner  in  another  room.  All  of 
the  boys  were  supplied  with  money  in  considerable 
sums,  generally  in  sovereigns  and  half  sovereigns,  for 
use  when  they  reached  Europe.  It  was  changing 
hands  now,  though  no  one  had  as  yet  been  particu- 
larly lucky. 

u  Have  a  game,  Shuffles?"  said  Lynch,  when  San- 
born declared  that  he  had  no  money  left  but  gold. 

"  No,"  replied  Shuffles,  "  I  shall  not  play  any  more." 

"Why  not?" 

"  I  haven't  time  ;  and  I  don't  want  to  become  too 
fond  of  it." 

"  Haven't  time  !  "  exclaimed  Lynch. 

"  No  ;  I've  got  a  big  job  on  my  hands." 

"What's  that?" 

"  Making  a  chain." 

"Making  a  what?" 

"  Making  a  chain." 

"A  watch  chain?" 

"  I  think  it  will  be  a  watch  chain  ;  but  I'll  tell  you 
about  it  when  we  are  alone.     Do  you  understand?" 

"  No,  I  don't." 

"  Keep  still  then." 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 69 

Shuffles  turned  in,  and  the  others  followed  his 
example.  He  did  not  sleep,  if  they  did,  for  his  soul 
was  full  of  rage  and  malice.  He  was  studying  up  the 
means  of  revenge  ;  and  he  had  matured  a  project,  so 
foolhardy  that  it  was  ridiculous,  and  his  mind  was 
fully  occupied  with  it. 

At  twelve  o'clock  he  was  called  to  take  his  place 
with  the  first  part  of  the  port  watch  on  deck.  Be- 
longing to  each  quarter  watch,  there  were  five  petty 
officers,  four  of  whom  were  to  call  the  portion  of  the 
crew  who  were  to  relieve  those  on  duty.  Shuffles 
was  called  by  one  of  these. 

The  wind  was  freshening  when  he  went  on  deck, 
and  the  ship  was  going  rapidly  through  the  water. 
At  the  last  heaving  of  the  log  she  was  making  eleven 
knots,  with  her  studding  sails  still  set.  Mr.  Fluxion 
came  on  deck  at  eight  be! Is. 

Wilton,  Sanborn,  and  Adler  were  in  the  watch  with 
Shuffles,  and  the  malcontent  lost  not  a  moment  in 
pushing  forward  the  scheme  he  had  matured.  Fortu- 
nately, or  unfortunately,  he  was  placed  on  the  look- 
out with  Wilton,  and  the  solitude  of  the  top-gallant 
forecastle  afforded  them  a  good  opportunity  for  the 
conference. 

15 


170  OUTWARD   BOUND,    OR 


CHAPTER    XI. 

THE    GAMBLERS    IN    NO.    8. 

IT'S  coming  on  to  blow,"  said  Wilton,  as  the  look- 
outs took  their  stations  on  the  top-gallant  fore- 
castle. 

"  I  don't  think  it  will  blow  much  ;  it  is  only  fresh- 
ening a  little,"  replied  Shuffles. 

k'  Now,  what  about  the  mutiny  ?  "  demanded  Wilton, 
impatiently,  after  he  had  become  more  accustomed  to 
the  dash  of  the  sea  under  the  bows  of  the  ship. 

"  Don't  call  it  by  that  name,"  replied  Shuffles,  ear- 
nestly.    "  Never  use  that  word  again." 

"  That's  what  you  mean — isn't  it?  You  might  as 
well  call  things  by  their  right  names." 

"  It's  an  ugly  word,  and  if  any  one  should  happen 
to  hear  it,  their  attention  would  be  attracted  at  once. 
We  musn't  got  in  the  habit  of  using  it." 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  are  going  to  do  yet," 
added  Wilton. 

"  It's  a  big  job  ;  but  I  mean  to  put  it  through,  even 
if  I  am  sure  of  failure." 

"What's  the  use  of  doing  that?  Do  you  want  to 
get  the  fellows  into  a  scrape  for  nothing?  " 

"  There  will  be  no  failure,  Wilton  ;  you  may  depend 
upon  that.     There  will  be  a  row  on  board  within  a 


YOUNG    AMERICA   AFLOAT.  171 

da)'  or  two,  and,  if  I  mistake  not,  nearly  all  the  fellows 
will  be  so  mad  that  they  will  want  to  join  us." 

"What  row?" 

"  Do  you  know  the  reason  why  I  wouldn't  shake 
props  this  evening?  " 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't." 

■"  Lowington  has  found  out  what  is  going  on  in  the 
rooms." 

"  He  hasn't,  though  !  " 

"  Yes,  he  has." 

"  How  do  you  know?" 

"  What  odds  does  it  make  how  I  know?"  answered 
Shuffles,  impatiently,  for  Wilton  was  much  too  inquis- 
itive to  suit  his  purposes.  "  I  talked  with  the  chap- 
lain half  an  hour  to-night.  When  he  went  to  my 
berth  after  the  wine,  I  rather  think  he  heard  the  rattle 
of  the  props.  At  any  rate  the  whole  thing  will  be 
broken  up  to-morrow  or  next  day." 

"  I  don't  see  how  that  will  make  a  row.  Not  more 
than  a  dozen  fellows  have  played  any  ;  and  they  won't 
think  of  making  a  row  about  that." 

"  You  see  !  "  added  Shuffles,  confidently. 

"  Ugh ! "  exclaimed  Wilton,  as  a  cloud  of  spray 
dashed  over  the  bow,  and  drenched  the  lookout ;  but 
they  wore  their  pea-jackets,  and  such  an  occurrence 
was  to  be  expected  at  sea. 

"  Stand  by  to  take  in  studding  sails  !  "  shouted  Paul 
Kendall,  who  was  the  officer  of  the  deck  ;  and  the 
order  was  repeated  by  his  subordinates  in  the  waist 
and  on  the  forecastle. 

"  We  must  go,"  said  Wilton  ;  and  they  descended 
from  their  position. 


172  Outward  bound,  or 

The  wind  had  continned  to  freshen,  until  the  ship 
labored  somewhat  under  her  heavy  press  of  canvas. 
It  was  the  policy  of  the  principal  to  go  as  easily  and 
comfortably  as  possible,  and  he  had  directed  Mr. 
Fluxion,  if  the  wind  continued  to  increase,  to  have 
the  sail  reduced,  though  neither  the  safety  of  the  ship 
nor  of  the  spars  absolutely  required  such  a  step.  The 
quarter  watch  on  deck  was  sufficient  to  perform  this 
labor. 

"  Lay  aloft,  foretopmen !  "  said  the  second  lieu- 
tenant ;  and  those  of  the  watch  who  had  their  stations 
in  the  fore  rigging  sprang  uj3  the  shrouds.  "  Stand 
by  the  halyard  of  the  top-gallant  studding  sails  !  Man 
the  tacks  and  sheets  !  " 

"  All  ready,  sir,"  reported  the  second  midshipman, 
Who  was  in  the  foretop,  superintending  the  operation. 

"  Lower  on  the  halyards  !  Ease  off  the  tacks,  and 
haul  on  the  sheet !  " 

The  two  top-gallant  studding-sails  were  thus  brought 
into  the  top,  where  they  were  made  up.  The  fore- 
topmast  and  the  lower  studding  sails  were  taken  in  by 
a  similar  routine,  and  the  Young  America  then  moved 
along  less  furiously  through  the  water. 

"Now  about  the  chain,"  said  Wilton,  when  the 
the  lookouts  had  returned  to  their  stations. 

"  Let  me  see ;  where  did  I  leave  off? "  replied 
Shuffles. 

"  You  said  there  was  to  be  a  row ;  which  I  don't 
believe." 

"  I  may  be  mistaken  about  that ;  if  I  am,  the  job 
will  be  all  the  more  difficult.  Lowington  has  got  us 
out  to  sea  now,  and,  in  my  opinion,  he  means  to  shake 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 73 

us  up.  He  is  a  tyrant  at  heart,  and  he  will  carry  it 
with  a  high  hand.  I  hate  the  man  !  "  added  Shuffles, 
with  savage  earnestness. 

"  You,  may,  but  the  fellows  don't  generally." 

"  They  will  as  soon  as  he  begins  to  put  the  twisters 
on  them.  You  won't  hear  him  say,  '  If  you  please, 
young  gentlemen,'  now  that  we  are  in  blue  water. 
You  know  how  savage  he  was  with  me." 

"  Well,  but  you  were  disobedient.  You  told  him, 
up  and  down,  you  wouldn't  do  what  he  ordered  you 
to  do." 

"  No  matter  for  that.  You  had  a  chance  to  see  the 
spirit  of  the  man.  He  was  a  perfect  demon.  He  put 
me  in  irons  !  "  exclaimed  Shuffles,  still  groaning  under 
this  indignity.  "  I  have  been  insulted  and  outraged, 
and  I  will  teach  him  that  Bob  Shuffles  is  not  to  be 
treated  in  that  manner !  I  will  be  revenged  upon 
him,  if  it  costs  me  my  life." 

"  The  fellows  won't  go  into  any  such  desperate 
game   as  that,"  replied  Wilton,   cautiously. 

"  But  there  will  be  fun  in  the  thing,"  added  the  mal- 
content, softening  his  tone.  "  We  shall  have  the  ship 
all  to  ourselves.  We  needn't  trouble  ourselves  any- 
thing about  Latin  and  Greek,  and  trigonometry  and 
algebra.     We  shall  go  in  for  a  good  time  generally." 

u  It  is  all  moonshine ;  it  can't  be  done.  What's 
the  use  of  talking  about  such  a  thing?"  said  Wilton. 

"  It  can  be  done,  and  it  shall  be,"  replied  Shuffles, 
stamping  his  foot  on  the  deck." 

"How?" 

"  I  am  not  quite  ready  to  tell  you  yet." 

"  Very  well ;  I  don't  want  to  know  anything  more 
15* 


1 74  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

about  it,"  answered  the  timid  conspirator,  who  was 
almost  disgusted  at  the  foolhardiness  of  the  plan. 

"  I  can  get  along  without  you,"  added  Shuffles,  with 
assumed  indifference. 

"  I  would  rather  have  you  do  so." 

"All  right ;  but  you  will  want  to  come  in  when  we 
have  got  along  a  little  farther." 

"  Perhaps  I  shall ;  if  I  do,  I  suppose  the  door  will 
be  open  to  me." 

u  It  may  be  open  ;  but  perhaps  you  can't  walk  into 
the  cabin  then." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Do  you  suppose  the  fellows  who  do  the  burden  of 
the  work  .are  going  to  be  shut  out  of  the  cabin?  If 
you  join  at  the  eleventh  hour,  you  will  have  to  be 
what  you  are  now  —  a  foremast  hand." 

"  What  can  I  be  if  I  join  now  ?  " 

"  Second  or  third  officer." 

"  Who  will  be  first." 

"  I  can't  mention  his  name  yet.  He  belongs  in  the 
cabin  now." 

"  You  don't  mean  so  !  "  said  Wilton,  astonished  to 
learn  that  his  bold  companion  expected  to  find  friends 
among  the  present  officers  of  the  ship. 

"  I  know  what  I'm  about,"  replied  Shuffles,  confi- 
dently. 

With  this  information  Wilton  thought  more  favor- 
ably of  the  mad  enterprise.  If  it  was  to  be  a  winning 
game,  he  wished  to  have  a  part  in  it ;  if  a  losing  one, 
he  desired  to  avoid  it.  There  was  something  in  the 
decided  manner  of  the  chief  conspirator  which  made 
an  impression  upon  this  doubting  mind. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  I  75 

"  I  don't  want  to  go  in  till  I  know  more  about  it,'1 
said  he,  after  walking  two  or  three  times  across  the 
top-gallant  forecastle. 

"  You  can't  know  anything  more  about  it  until  you 
have  been  toggled,"  replied  Shuffles. 

"Toggled?"  repeated  the  sceptic,  curiously. 

"  This  thing  is  to  be  well  managed,  Wilton.  We 
shall  not  use  any  hard  words,  that  outsiders  can 
understand ;  and  if  any  of  them  happen  to  hear 
anything  that  don't  concern  them,  they  will  not  know 
what  it  means.     Will  you  join,  or  not?  " 

"  I  will,"  replied  Wilton,  desperately. 

The  strange  words  which  Shuffles  used,  and  the 
confidence  he  manifested  in  the  success  of  his  project, 
carried  the  hesitating  lookout  man.  He  was  fasci- 
nated by  the  "  clap-trap  "  which  the  leader  of  "  our 
fellows  "  had  adopted  to  help  along  his  scheme,  for  it 
promised  to  afford  no  little  excitement  during  the 
voyage. 

"  Now  you  talk  like  a  man,  Wilton,"  replied  Shuf- 
fles. "  You  shall  be  a  member  of  the  league  at 
once." 

"What's  the  league?" 

"  The  Chain  League." 

"  Upon  my  word,  Shuffles,  you  have  been  reading 
yellow-covered  novels  to  some  purpose." 

"  I  didn't  get  this  idea  from  a  novel.  I  invented  it 
myself." 

"  The  Chain  League  !  "  repeated  Wilton,  who  was 
pleased  with  the  title  of  the  conspirators. 

"  It  will  be  called  simply  '  The  Chain.'     I  am  the 


176  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

first  member,  and  you  are  the  second ;  or  you  will  be 
when  you  have  been  toggled." 

"  Toggled  again  ! "  laughed  Wilton.  u  What  do 
you  mean?" 

"  Initiated." 

"  Go  ahead,  then." 

"  Repeat  after  me." 

"  Go  on,"  replied  Wilton,  deeply  interested  in  the 
proceeding,  even  while  he  was  amused  at  its  formality. 

"  I  am  a  link  of  the  chain." 

"  I  am  a  link  of  the  chain,"  repeated  Wilton. 

"  I  iv ill  obey  my  superior  officers.  " 

"  I  will  obey  my  superior  officers." 

"  And  I  will  reveal  none  of  its  secrets." 

"  And  I  will  reveal  none  of  its  secrets." 

"  This  1 promise " 

"  This  I  promise " 

"  On  penalty  of  falling  overboard  accideiztally" 

"On  penalty  of  what?"  demanded  Wilton,  both 
puzzled  and  terrified  by  the  mysterious  words. 

"  Repeat  the  words  after  me.  On  penalty,"  said 
Shuffles,  sternly. 

"  I  know  what  the  words  are,  but  I'll  be  hanged  if  I 
will  repeat  them.  '  Falling  overboard  accidentally  ! ' 
What  does  that  mean  ?  " 

"  It  means  that,  if  you  betray  the  secrets  of  The 
Chain,  you  might  fall  overboard  accidentally,  some 
day." 

"  That  is,  you  would  push  me  over  when  no  one 
was  looking,"  added  Wilton,  involuntarily  retreating 
from  the  conspirator,  whom,  for  the  moment,  he  re- 
garded as  a  very  dangerous  companion. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 77 

"  That's  what  the  words  mean,"  replied  Shuffles, 
coolly. 

"  Have  I  been  toggled?  "  demanded  Wilton. 

"  No  ;  you  didn't  repeat  all  the  words." 

"  Then  you  needn't  toggle  me  any  more.  I've  got 
enough  of  this  thing." 

"  All  right ;  just  as  you  say.  But  I  can  tell  you 
this,  my  dear  fellow ;  if  you  should  whisper  the  first 
word  of  what  has  passed  between  us  to-night,  you 
might  fall  overboard,"  continued  Shuffles,  sharply,  as 
he  laid  his  hand  on  his  companion's  shoulder. 

Wilton  grasped  the  sheet  of  the  fore-topmast  stay- 
sail, which  was  the  nearest  rope  to  him,  and  held  on 
as  though  he  was  then  in  imminent  danger  of  "  falling 
overboard  accidentally." 

"  I  won't  say  a  word,"  protested  he,  vehemently ; 
for  he  did  not  know  but  that  Shuffles  was  wicked 
enough  to  push  him  into  the  sea. 

'  "  Wilton,  you  are  a  fool !  "  added  the  disappointed 
conspirator,  with  deep  disgust.  "  Why  didn't  you  say 
what  I  told  you  ?  " 

u  I  don't  want  to  be  bound  in  any  such  way  as  that," 
replied  the  terrified  student. 

"  Don't  you  see  it  is  only  a  form?  " 

"  No,  I  don't ;  or  if  it  is,  I  don't  want  anything  to 
do  with  such  forms.  You  won't  get  any  fellows  to  be 
toggled  in  that  way." 

"  Yes,  I  shall ;  I  shall  get  plenty  of  them.  They 
are  not  babies,  like  you." 

"  I'm  not  a  baby." 

"Yes,  you  are — a  great  calf!  What  are  you 
afraid  of?" 


I'jS  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  I'm  not  afraid  ;  I  didn't  think  you  meant  to  have 
any  murder  in  your  Chain." 

"  I  don't ;  no  fellow  will  think  of  such  a  thing  as 
betraying  one  of  the  secrets." 

"  Then  what's  the  use  of  having  such  a  penalty?" 

"  It  will  prevent  any  fellow  from  opening  his  mouth 
when  he  ought  to  keep  it  shut." 

"  I  don't  want  anything  to  do  with  a  concern  that 
means  murder.  I'm  not  any  better  than  I  should  be, 
but  I'm  too  good  for  that." 

"  Suit  yourself ;  but  remember,  if  you  should  happen 
to  say  a  word,  you  will  fall  overboard  accidentally, 
some  night  when  you  are  on  the  lookout,  or  out  on  the 
yard-arm." 

"  Two  bells,"  said  Wilton,  greatly  relieved  to  hear 
them,  for  he  did  not  like  to  stand  any  longer  on  the 
top-gallant  forecastle,  where  there  was  no  railing,  with 
such  a  dangerous  fellow  as  Shuffles  proved  to  be. 

Two  other  members  of  the  watch  were  sent  forward 
to  take  their  places.  Wilton  and  Shuffles  went  down 
and  mingled  with  their  shipmates,  who  were  talking 
about  what  they  should  do  and  what  they  should  see  in 
Ireland,  where  the  ship  would  first  make  a  harbor. 
Wilton  breathed  easier,  and  the  topic  was  a  more 
agreeable  one  than  the  dark  and  terrible  matter  which 
had  been  under  discussion  on  the  top-gallant  forecastle. 

Shuffles  was  disappointed  by  the  scruples  of  his 
generally  unscrupulous  companion.  He  regarded  the 
machinery  of  the  plot,  the  clap-trap  of  the  secret 
league,  as  decidedly  attractive ;  and  he  depended 
largely  upon  it  to  influence  his  companions.  Though 
he  claimed  that  his  plan  was  original,  it  was  suggested 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 79 

by  a  secret  political  organization  in  Europe,  of  which 
he  had  read  in  a  pamphlet;  and  the  idea  had  doubt- 
less been  modified  by  his  more  extensive  readings  in 
the  department  of  fiction,  in  which  midnight  juntos 
laid  out  robbery,  treason,  and  murder  ;  Venetian  tales 
in  which  bravos,  assassins,  and  decayed  princes  in  dis- 
guise largely  figured  ;  in  which  mysterious  pass-words 
opened  mysterious  dungeons  beneath  ruined  castles  ; 
in  which  bravo  met  bravo,  and  knew  him  by  some 
mysterious  sign,  or  cabalistic  word. 

Shuffles  had  a  taste  for  these  things,  and  out  of  his 
lively  imagination  he  had  coined  a  similar  association 
to  be  recruited  from  the  crew  of  the  Young  America, 
which  was  to  redress  fancied  wrrongs,  and  even  take 
the  ship  out  of  the  hands  of  the  principal.  He  could 
think  of  nothing  but  this  brilliant  enterprise ;  and 
while  his  shipmates  were  talking  of  the  future,  and  in- 
dulging in  the  old  salts'  vocation  of  "  spinning  yarns," 
he  was  busy  maturing  the  details  of  "  The  Chain 
League."  He  did  not,  for  reasons  best  known  to  him- 
self, attempt  to  make  any  more  proselytes  that  night* 

The  ship  continued  to  go  along  easily  on  her  course 
till  morning.  It  was  a  clear  night,  and  though  the 
wind  was  fresh,  the  sea  was  not  rough,  and  the  Young 
America  behaved  very  handsomely.  The  programme 
for  the  watches  was  carried  out  to  the  letter,  but  on  the 
first  night  out,  the  boys  were  too  much  excited  by  the 
novelty  of  the  situation  to  be  able  to  sleep  much. 

At  eight  bells  in  the  morning,  after  the  port  watch 
had  breakfasted,  all  the  students  off  duty  attended 
prayers.  Then  the  starboard  watch  had  their  morn- 
ing meal,  after  which  all  hands  were  piped  to  muster. 


l8o  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

Mr.  Lowington  mounted  the  hatch,  and  it  was  under- 
stood that  the  case  of  discipline  which  had  come  up 
the  day  before  was  to  be  settled  now. 

"  Shuffles  !  "  called  the  principal. 

The  culprit  came  forward. 

"  Are  you  still  of  the  same  mind  as  when  I  saw  you 
/ast  evening?  "  continued  Mr.  Lowington. 

"  I  am,  sir,"  replied  Shuffles,  with  a  becoming  exhi- 
bition of  meekness. 

"  You  will  step  upon  the  hatch,  then." 

Shuffles  took  position  by  the  side  of  the  principal. 

"  You  will  repeat  after  me,"  added  Mr.  Lowington. 

The  culprit  was  startled  at  these  words,  and  began 
to  suspect  that  Wilton  had  betrayed  him  in  spite  of 
his  fear  of  falling  overboard  accidentally.  It  looked 
just  then  as  though  the  principal  intended  to  "  toggle  " 
him. 

"  I  acknowledge  that  I  have  done  wrong,"  Mr. 
Lowington  continued. 

Shuffles  repeated  the  words,  happy  to  find  that 
he  was  not  to  take  the  obligation  of  "  The  Chain 
League." 

"  And  I  will  hereafter  endeavor  to  do  my  dutv  faith- 
fully." 

The  promise  was  repeated  with  the  lips,  but  of 
course  it  had  no  meaning,  and  did  not  reach  the 
heart. 

"That  is  all,  Shuffles,"  added  the  principal. — ■ 
"  Young  gentlemen,  you  are  dismissed  from  muster." 

This  was  certainly  a  very  mild  atonement  for  the 
grave  offence  which  Shuffles  had  committed,  and  the 
lenity  of  the  principal  was  generally  commented  upon 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  I  Si 

by  the  boys.  The  starboard  watch  was  piped  below 
to  study  and  recite,  while  the  port  watch  were  to  be 
off  and  on  during  the  forenoon.  The  first  part  now 
had  the  deck,  while  the  second  was  off  duty,  and  the 
boys  belonging  to  it  were  permitted  to  remain  on  deck 
or  to  spend  their  time  in  the  mess  rooms.  They  were 
not  allowed  to  linger  in  the  steerage  where  the  recita- 
tions were  going  on,  but  might  pass  directly  through 
on  their  way  to  their  apartments. 

At  ten  o'clock  the  first  part  of  the  port  watch  was 
relieved,  and  the  second  part  went  on  duty.  Shuffles 
and  Wilton  were  at  liberty  now,  but  there  appeared  to 
be  a  coldness  between  them,  and  Wilton  sought  anoth- 
er companion  for  his  leisure  hours.  Sanborn  and 
Adler  belonged  to  his  part  of  the  watch,  and  he  soon 
joined  them. 

"  There  isn't  much  difference  between  being  off 
duty  and  being  on,"  said  Adler,  as  they  seated  them- 
selves on  the  main  hatch. 

"  There  will  be  a  difference  when  we  have  to  make 
and  take  in  sail  every  half  hour.  We  had  a  big  job 
taking  in  the  studding  sails  last  night." 

"  They  don't  drive  the  ship,"  added  Sanborn.  "  I 
suppose  if  we  were  a  merchantman,  they  would  crack 
on  all  the  sail  she  would  carry." 

"  She  goes  along  beautifully,"  said  Wilton. 

"  She  was  onlv  making  five  knots  the  last  time  the 
log  was  heaved." 

"  And  the  sea  is  as  smooth  as  a  mill-pond.  We 
shall  not  get  to  Queenstown  for  two  months  at  this 
rate." 

16 


1 82  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  Stand  by  to  set  studding  sails !  "  shouted  Pelham, 
the  officer  of  the  deck. 

"  I  wondered  why  they  didn't  do  that  before,"  said 
Sanborn. 

The  fore  and  main  studding  sails  were  set,  two  at  a 
time,  by  the  part  of  the  watch  on  duty,  the  wind  still 
being  well  aft. 

"  What  shall  we  do  ?  "  asked  Wilton,  with  a  long 
yawn,  after  they  had  watched  the  operation  of  setting 
the  studding  sails  for  a  time.  "  This  is  stupid  business, 
and  I'm  getting  sleepy." 

u  Let  us  go  below,"  suggested  Sanborn. 

"What  for?  The  professors  won't  let  you  speak 
out  loud  while  the  recitations  are  going  on,"  added 
Adler. 

"  We  don't  want  to  speak  out  loud.  What  do  you 
say  to  shaking  a  little?"  continued  Wilton. 

"  I'm  with  you,"  replied  Wilton.  "  Can  either  of 
you  change  me  a  half  sovereign  ?  " 

Neither  of  them  could,  but  they  were  willing  to  take 
Wilton's  due  bills,  till  his  indebtedness  amounted  to 
ten  shillings.  The  boys  had  already  begun  to  talk  the 
language  of  sterling  currency,  and  many  of  them  were 
supplied  with  English  silver  coins  as  well  as  gold. 
The  three  boys  went  down  at  the  fore  hatch,  and 
removing  their  caps  as  they  entered  the  steerage, 
walked  silently  to  Gangway  D,  from  which  they  went 
into  mess  room  No.  8,  which  had  thus  far  been  the 
headquarters  of  the  gamblers.  Seating  themselves  on 
the  stools,  they  used  one  of  the  beds  as  a  table,  and 
in  a  few  moments  were  deeply  absorbed  in  the  exciting 


YOUNG    AMERICA    AFLOAT.  1 83 

game.  They  spoke  in  whispers,  and  were  careful  not 
to  rattle  the  props  too  loudly. 

After  they  had  played  a  few  moments,  Shuffles  came 
in.  They  invited  him  to  join  them  in  the  play,  but  he 
declined,  and  soon  left  the  mess  room,  returning  to  the 
deck.  In  the  waist  he  met  Paul  Kendall,  who  was  the 
officer  of  his  watch,  and,  like  him,  was  off  duty.  They 
had  generally  been  on  good  terms  while  in  the  after 
cabin  together,  for  then  Shuffles  was  on  his  best 
behavior. 

"  How  do  things  go  on  in  the  after  cabin  now, 
Kendall  —  I  beg  your  pardon  —  Mr.  Kendall  ?  "  said 
Shuffles,  in  his  most  gentlemanly  tones. 

"  About  as  usual,  Mr.  Shuffles,"  replied  Paul. 

"  I  am  not  a  '  mister  '  now,"  laughed  Shuffles. 

"  Well,  it's  all  the  same  to  me.  I  am  sorry  you  are 
not  with  us  now." 

"  So  am  I,"  added  Shuffles.  "  I  did  not  expect  to 
be  on  board  this  year,  or  I  should  have  been  there 
now." 

"  You  can  be,  next  term,  if  you  like." 

"  This  thing  yesterday  has  ruined  all  my  prospects." 

"  That  was  rather  bad.  I  never  was  so  sorry  for 
anything  in  my  life  before,"  answered  Paul,  warmly. 
u  You  and  I  were  always  good  friends  after  we  got 
well  acquainted,  though  I  did  vote  for  another  at  the 
election  a  year  ago." 

"  You  did  what  you  thought  was  right,  and  I  don't 
blame  you  for  that.  I  always  did  my  duty  when  I 
was  an  officer." 

"  That  you  did,  Shuffles ;  and  we  always  agreed 
first  rate.     Isn't  it  a  little  strange  that  I  have  not  lived 


184  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

in  the  steerage  since  the  ship's  company  were  or- 
ganized? " 

"  That's  because  you  were  always  a  good  boy,  and 
a  smart  scholar.     I  think  you  would  not  like  it." 

"  If  it  wasn't  for  losing  my  rank,  I  should  like  to 
try  it,"  replied  Paul.  "  I  should  like  to  get  better 
acquainted  with  the  fellows." 

"  You  wouldn't  like  them  in  the  steerage.  You 
would  see  a  great  many  things  there  which  you  never 
see  in  the  cabin  ;  a  great  many  things  which  Mr. 
Lowington  and  the  professors  know  nothing  about." 

"Why,  what  do  you  mean,  Shuffles?"  demanded 
Paul,  astonished  at  this  revelation. 

"  I  ought  not  to  say  anything  about  it ;  but  I  believe 
these  things  will  break  up  the  Academy  Ship  one  of 
these  days,  for  the  boys  are  growing  worse  instead  of 
better  in  her,  and  their  folks  will  find  it  out  sooner  of 
later." 

"  You  surprise  me  !  "  exclaimed  Paul,  sadly,  for  he 
held  the  honor  of  the  ship  and  her  crew  as  the  apple 
of  his  eye.  u  If  there  is  anything  wrong  there,  you 
ought  to  make  it  known." 

"  I  suppose  I  ought ;  but  you  know  I'm  not  a  tell- 
tale." 

"  You  have  told  me,  and  I'm  an  officer." 

"  Well,  I  blundered  into  saying  what  I  have.  What 
you  said  about  going  into  the  steerage  made  me  let  it 
out.     I  am  sorry  I  said  anything." 

"  You  have  raised  my  curiosity." 

"  I  will  tell  you;  or  rather  I  will  put  you  in  the 
way  of  seeing  for  yourself,   if  you  will  not  mention 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 85 

my  name  in  connection  with  the  matter,  even  to  Mr. 
Lowington,  and  certainly  not  to  any  one  else." 

"  I  will  not,  Shuffles." 

"  The  fellows  are  gambling  in  the  steerage  at  this 
very  moment,"  added  Shuffles,  in  a  low  tone.  "  Don't 
betray  me." 

"  I  will  not.  Gambling  !  "  exclaimed  Paul,  with 
natural  horror. 

"  You  will  find  them  in  No.  8,"  continued  Shuffles, 
walking   away,    and  leaving  the  astonished  officer  to 
wonder  how  boys  could  gamble. 
"16* 


OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE    ROOT    OF    ALL    EVIL. 


PAUL  KENDALL,  who  had  not  occupied  a  berth 
in  the  steerage  since  the  first  organization  of  the 
ship,  was  greatly  surprised  and  grieved  to  learn  that 
some  of  the  crew  were  addicted  to  vicious  practices. 
Gambling  was  an  enormous  offence,  and  he  was  not 
quite  willing  to  believe  that  such  a  terrible  evil  had 
obtained  a  foothold  in  the  ship.  He  could  hardly  con- 
ceive of  such  a  thing  as  boys  engaging  in  games  of 
chance ;  only  the  vilest  of  men,  in  his  estimation, 
would  do  so.  Shuffles  had  told  him  so,  apparently 
without  malice  or  design,  and  there  was  no  reason  to 
doubt  the  truth  of  his  statement,  especially  as  he  had 
given  the  particulars  by  which  it  could  be  verified. 

The  second  lieutenant  went  down  into  the  steerage. 
Classes  were  reciting  to  the  professors,  and  studying 
their  lessons  at  the  mess  tables.  There  was  certainly 
no  appearance  of  evil,  for  the  place  was  still,  and  no 
sound  of  angry  altercation  or  ribald  jest,  which  his 
fancy  connected  with  the  vice  of  gambling,  saluted  his 
ears.  He  cautiously  entered  Gangway  D,  and  paused 
where  he  could  hear  what  was  said  in  mess  room 
No.  8. 

"  I'm  five  shillings  into  your  half  sovereign,"    said 


YOUNG    AMERICA    AFLOAT.  1S7 

one  of  the  gamblers  ;  and  then  Paul  distinctly  heard 
the  rattling  of  the  props. 

u  There's  the  half  sovereign,"  added  another,  whose 
voice  the  officer  recognized  as  that  of  Wilton.  "  You 
own  five  shillings  in  it,  and  I  own  five  shillings." 

"■  That's  so,"  replied  Sanborn,  who  appeared  to  be 
the  lucky  one. 

"  Let  us  shake  for  the  coin,"  added  Wilton.  "  It's 
my  throw." 

"  That's  rather  steep." 

"We  get  along  faster  —  that's  all.  If  I  throw  a 
nick,  or  a  browner,  it's  mine  ;  if  an  out,  it's  yours." 

"I  am  agreed  —  throw  away,"  replied  Sanborn, 
without  perceiving  that  the  one  who  held  the  props 
had  two  chances  to  his  one. 

The  props  rattled,  and  dropped  on  the  bed. 

"  A  browner  !  "  exclaimed  Wilton,  thereby  winning 
all  he  had  lost  at  one  throw. 

"  Hush  !  don't  talk  so  loud,"  interposed  Adler. 
"You'll  have  the  profs  down  upon  us." 

"  I'll  go  you  another  five  shillings  on  one  throw," 
said  Sanborn,  chagrined  at  his  loss. 

"  Put  down  your  money." 

The  reckless  young  gambler  put  two  half  crowns, 
or  five  shillings,  upon  the  bed,  and  Wilton  shook 
again. 

"  A  nick  !  "  said  he,  seizing  the  two  half  crowns. 

"  Try  it  again,"  demanded  Sanborn. 

Paul  Kendall  was  filled  with  horror  as  he  listened 
to  this  conversation.  When  he  had  heard  enough  to 
satisfy  him  that  the  speakers  were  actually  gambling, 
he  hastened   to   inform   Mr.   Lowinsfton  of  the  fact. 


1 88  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

Paul  was  an  officer  of  the  ship,  and  this  was  so  plain- 
ly his  duty  that  he  could  not  avoid  it,  disagreeable  as 
it  was  to  give  testimony  against  his  shipmates.  It 
seemed  to  him  that  the  ship  could  not  float  much 
longer  if  such  iniquity  were  carried  on  within  her 
walls  of  wood  ;  she  must  be  purged  of  such  enormi- 
ties, or  some  fearful  retribution  would  overtake  her. 
There  was  no  malice  or  revenge  in  the  bosom  of  the 
second  lieutenant ;  he  was  acting  solely  and  unselfishly 
for  the  good  of  the  institution  and  the  students. 

lie  went  on  deck  again.  Shuffles  was  still  there, 
and  they  met  in  the  waist. 

"  You  told  me  the  truth,"  said  Paul. 

"  You  did  not  think  I  was  joking  about  so  serious 
a  matter  —  did  you?"  replied  Shuffles. 

"  No  ;  but  I  hoped  you  might  be  mistaken." 

"  How  could  I  be  mistaken,  when  I  have  seen,  at 
one  time  and  another,  a  dozen  fellows  engaged  in 
gambling?  Of  course  such  things  as  these  will  ruin 
the  boys,  and  bring  the  ship  into  disrepute." 

"  You  are  right.  My  father,  for  one,  wouldn't  let 
me  stay  on  board  a  single  day,  if  he  knew  any  of  the 
boys  were  gamblers." 

"  It  can  be  easily  stopped,  now  you  know  about  it," 
added  Shuffles. 

"  Perhaps  it  can.  I  will  inform  Mr.  Lowington  at 
once." 

"  Remember,  if  you  please,  what  I  said,  Mr.  Ken- 
dall. I  am  willing  to  do  a  good  thing  for  the  ship  ; 
but  you  know  how  much  I  should  have  to  'sufler,  if 
it  were  known  that  I  gave  the  information.  I  didn't 
mean  to  blow  on  my  shipmates ;  but  you  and  I  have 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 89 

been  so  intimate  in  the  after  cabin,  that  I  spoke  before 
I  was  aware  what  I  was  about,"  continued  Shuffles. 

"  I  shall  not  willingly  betray  you." 

"Willingly!  What  do  you  mean  by  that?"  de- 
manded the  conspirator,  startled  by  the  words  of  the 
officer. 

"  Suppose  Mr.  Lowington  should  ask  me  where  I 
obtained  my  information,"  suggested  Paul. 

"  Didn't  you  see  for  yourself  in  No.  8  ?  " 

"  He  might  ask  what  led  me  to  examine  the 
matter  so  particularly.  But,  Shuffles,  I  will  tell  him 
honestly  that  I  do  not  wish  to  inform  him  who  gave 
me  the  hint ;  and  I  am  quite  sure  he  will  not  press  the 
matter,  when  he  finds  that  the  facts  are  correct." 

"  Don't  mention  my  name  on  any  account,"  added 
Shuffles.  "  It  was  mean  of  me  to  say  anything  ;  but 
the  ship  was  going  to  ruin,  and  I'm  rather  glad  I  spoke, 
though  I  didn't  intend  to  do  so." 

"  I  will  make  it  all  right,  Shuffles,"  replied  Paul, 
as  he  descended  the  cabin  steps. 

Mr.  Lowington  was  in  the  main  cabin,  and  the  sec- 
ond lieutenant  knocked  at  the  door.  He  was  readily 
admitted,  and  invited  to  take  a  seat,  for  the  principal 
was  as  polite  to  the  young  gentlemen  as  though  they 
had  been  his  equals  in  age  and  rank. 

"  I  would  like  to  speak  with  you  alone,  if  you  please, 
sir,"  Paul  began,  glancing  at  the  cabin  steward,  who 
was  at  work  in  the  pantry. 

"  Come  into  my  state  room,"  said  the  principal, 
leading  the  way. 

"  I  hope  your  business  does  not  relate  to  the  disci- 
pline  of  the  ship,"  continued  Mr.  Lowington,  when 


I9O  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

they  were  seated,  and  the  door  of  the  room  -was  closed. 
"  If  it  does,  you  should  have  applied  to  the  captain." 

"  This  is  a  peculiar  case,  sir,  and  I  obtained  my 
information  while  off  duty,"  replied  Paul,  with  some 
embarrassment ;  for  he  had  thought  of  communicating 
his  startling  discovery  to  Captain  Gordon,  and  had 
only  been  deterred  from  doing  so  by  the  fear  of  betray- 
ing Shuffles. 

"  I  will  hear  what  you  have  to  say." 

"  There  is  something  very  bad  going  on  in  the  steer- 
age," said  Paul,  seriously. 

"Indeed!  What  is  it?"  asked  the  principal,  full 
of  interest  and  anxiety. 

"  Gambling,  sir." 

"  Gambling  !  "  repeated  Mr.  Lowington,  his  brow 
contracting. 

Paul  made  no  reply ;  and  he  expected  to  be  asked 
how  he  had  obtained  the  startling  information. 

"  Are  you  quite  sure  of  what  you  say,  Mr.  Ken- 
dall ?  " 

"Yes,  sir,  I  am.  In  mess  room  No.  8,  there  are 
three  or  four  students  now  engaged  in  gambling.  I 
stood  at  the  door  long:  enough  to  find  out  what  they 
were  doing." 

"  This  is  serious,  Mr.  Kendall." 

"  If  you  have  any  doubt  about  the  fact,  sir,  I  hope 
you  will  take  measures  to  satisfy  yourself  at  once,  for 
I  think  the  students  are  still  there." 

"  I  will,  Mr.  Kendall ;  remain  in  this  cabin,  if  you 
please,  until  my  return,"  added  the  principal,  as  he 
moved  towards  the  door. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  191 

"  You  must  be  careful  when  you  approach  them, 
sir,  for  the  gamblers  are  very  sly." 

Mr.  Lowington  passed  from  the  professors'  cabin 
into  the*  steerage,  and  proceeding  to  the  entrance  of 
No.  8,  he  paused  to  listen.  He  heard  the  whispered 
conversation  about  the  stakes,  and  "  nicks,"  "  brown- 
ers"  and  "outs."  The  gamblers  were  by  this  time 
highly  excited  by  the  game,  and  had  not  only  become 
imprudent,  but  absolutely  reckless,  so  intense  was  the 
fascination  of  their  employment.  Suddenly,  but  with 
a  light  step,  he  entered  the  mess  room.  Wilton  sat  in 
the  berth,  while  his  companions  occupied  stools  out- 
side, and  their  heads  were  close  together. 

Mr.  Lowington  took  Adler  by  the  collar  of  his  frock 
with  one  hand,'  and  Sanborn  with  the  other,  just  as 
Wilton  had  thrown  the  props  upon  the  bed.  With  a 
vigorous  jerk,  he  tossed  them  back  upon  the  floor,  so 
as  to  obtain  a  full  view  of  the  stakes  and  the  gambling 
implements.  The  culprits  were  astounded  at  this  sud- 
den descent  upon  them  ;  but  before  they  could  com- 
prehend the  situation  fully,  the  principal  turned  upon 
his  heel,  and  left  the  room  without  a  word  of  astonish- 
ment or  censure. 

"  We're  in  for  it  now,"  said  Wilton,  as  his  compan- 
ions picked  themselves  up  from  the  floor,  and  gazed 
at  each  other  with  a  sheepish  look. 

"  That's  so,"  replied  Sanborn. 

"  We  shall  catch  it,"  added  Adler. 

"  We  shall  find  out  how  the  inside  of  the  brig  looks, 
in  my  opinion,"  continued  Wilton.  "  I  was  a  fool  to 
play  here,  right  in  the  steerage.     Shuffles  told  me  that 


I92  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

Lowington  smelt  a  mice,  and  would  make  a  row  about 
this  thing." 

"  Shuffles  told  you  so  !  "  exclaimed  Adler.  "  How 
did  he  know  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know;  I  believe  the  parson  told  him  last 
night,  when  he  was  in  the  brig." 

"  Why  didn't  you  say  so  then?"  demanded  Sanborn. 
"  You  have  got  us  into  a  pretty  scrape  !  That  is  the 
reason  why  Shuffles  wouldn't  play  himself." 

"•  Yes,  he  said  it  was  ;  but  I  didn't  believe  Lowing- 
ton knew  anything  about  it ;  I  don't  see  how  he  could. 
He  walked  in  here  as  straight  as  though  he  had  been 
sent  for,  and  knew  just  where  to  go,"  said  Wilton. 

"  Of  course  he  did  :  you  say  Shuffles  told  you 
Lowington  knew  all  about  it ;  and  I  suppose  he  has 
been  on  the  watch  to  find  some  fellows  at  it  so  as  to 
make  an  example  of  them." 

u  That's  the  whole  of  it.  We  might  as  well  throw 
the  props  overboard  now." 

Mr.  Lowington  returned  to  the  cabin,  where  he  had 
left  Paul  Kendall.  He  was  sadly  disturbed  by  the 
discovery  he  had  made,  for  he  had  no  suspicion  before 
that  any  of  his  pupils  had  made  so  much  progress  in 
vice.  He  knew  what  a  terrible  evil  gambling  wTas 
among  men  ;  that  it  was  the  forerunner  of  dissipation 
and  crime  ;  and  he  felt  the  responsibility  which  rested 
upon  him  as  a  guardian  and  instructor  of  youth. 

"  Mr.  Kendall,  your  information  was  correct ;  and 
I  commend  the  zeal  you  have  displayed  in  bringing 
this  fearful  evil  to  light.  How  happened  you  to  dis- 
cover it  ?  " 

"  I  had  a  hint  from  a  source  which  I  would  rather 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT. 


m 


not  mention,"  replied  the  second  lieutenant,  with  some 
embarrassment. 

"  Indeed  ! " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  one  of  the  students,  who  berths  in  the 
steerage,  happened  accidentally  to  let  it  out." 

Paul  said  "  accidentally,"  because  he  believed  that 
Shuffles  had  been  betrayed  into  the  revelation  by  their 
former  intimacy. 

"  And  he  does  not  wish  to  be  regarded  as  an  inform- 
er," added  the  principal. 

"  No,  sir ;  after  he  had  excited  my  curiosity,  he  told 
me  where  I  could  find  the  gamblers  at  play." 

"  I  understand  his  position,  precisely,"  said  Mr. 
Lowington ;  "  and  I  will  not  ask  his  name.  The 
information  proves  to  be  painfully  correct,  and  there 
appears  to  have  been  no  malice  in  giving  it." 

"  No,  sir ;  I  don't  think  there  was  :  indeed,  I  know 
there  was  not,"  added  Paul,  when  he  considered  that 
Wilton  and  the  other  gamblers  were  Shuffles'  intimate 
companions. 

"  This  is  a  very  serious  matter,  Mr.  Kendall,"  re- 
peated the  principal,  thoughtfully. 

"  I  think  it  is,  sir ;  that  is  the  reason  why  I  came  to 
you,  instead  of  going  to  the  captain." 

"  Perhaps  it  is  better  that  you  did  so,  on  the  whole," 
replied  Mr.  Lowington.  "  It  has  enabled  me  to  see 
the  evil  for  myself.  Have  you  any  views  in  regard  to 
what  should  be  done,  Mr.  Kendall?" 

The  principal  often  asked  the  opinion  of  the  officers 
concerning  similar  matters  under  discussion,  perhaps 
in  order  to  teach  them  self-respect,  rather  than  with  the 
17 


1^4  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

expectation  of  obtaining  valuable  suggestions  from 
them. 

"  I  think  there  should  be  stricter  discipline  in  the 
mess  rooms,  sir,"  replied  Paul,  blushing  to  have  his 
opinion  asked.     "  The  fellows — — " 

"  The  students,  you  mean,"  interposed  the  prin* 
cipal. 

"  Excuse  me,  sir,"  added  Paul,  blushing  deeper  than 
before  at  this  gentle  rebuke. 

The  boys  had  a  language  of  their  own,  which  was 
not  tolerated  by  the  faculty  when  it  ran  into  coarse- 
ness and  slang. 

"What  were  you  about  to  say,  Mr.  Kendall?"  con- 
tinued the  principal,  smiling  at  the  confusion  of  the 
young  officer. 

"  The  students  can  now  do  anything  they  like  in  the 
mess  rooms.  They  have  plenty  of  money,  and  if  they 
want  to  gamble,  they  can.  They  were  playing  last 
night  when  the  first  part  of  the  starboard  watch  were 
on  duty." 

"You  are  right,  Mr.  Kendall,"  said  Mr.  Lowing- 
ton.  "  The  students  must  be  looked  after  in  their 
rooms.  Has  there  ever  been  any  gambling  among  the 
officers  in  the  after  cabin  ?  " 

"  I  never  saw  any,  or  heard  of  any.  I  don't  think 
there  has  been." 

"  I  hope  not ;  but  we  must  grapple  with  this  ques- 
tion in  earnest,"  added  the  principal,  as  he  led  the  way 
out  of  the  state  room  into  the  main  cabin. 

The  chaplain  and  the  doctor  were  there,  and  Mr. 
Lowington  wished  to  take  their  advice  upon  the  seri- 
ous matter  before  him  ;  and  before  he  permitted  the 


YOUNG   AMERICA     *<-r,OAT.  1 95 

second  lieutenant  to  retire,  be  stated  the  case  to 
them. 

"  Gambling  !  "  groaned  the  chaplain. 

"  I  detected  them  in  the  act  myself,"  added  Mr. 
Lowington.     "  You  may  retire,  Mr.  Kendall." 

"  Why,  this  is  awful !  " 

"  Boys  will  do  almost  anything  that  men  will,'*  saH 
Dr.  Winstock,  the  surgeon. 

"  Drinking  and  gambling  !  "  ejaculated  the  chaplain- 
"  What  are  we  coming  to  ?  " 

"  I  fear  there  are  other  vices  of  which  we  know 
nothing  yet,"  added  the  doctor. 

"  Why,  I'm  afraid  the  Academy  Ship  will  prove  to 
be  a  failure,  after  all,"  sighed  Mr,  Agneau. 

"  Not  at  all,"  argued  Dr.  Winstock.  "  We  are  in 
position  here  to  treat  these  evils  properly.  There  are 
no  fond  mothers  and  indulgent  fathers  to  spoil  the 
boys,  when  the  discipline  becomes  sharp." 

"What  can  we  do?"  demanded  the  chaplain. 
"  Moral  and  religious  influences  seem  to  have  no 
effect." 

"  Have  faith  in  your  own  medicines,  Mr.  Agneau," 
said  the  doctor. 

"  I  have  full  faith  in  the  medicine,  Dr.  Winstock  ; 
but  I  fear  I  have  not  done  my  duty  faithfully." 

"  You  need  not  reproach  yourself,  Mr.  Agneau. 
You  have  been  earnest  in  your  work,"  interposed  the 
principal.  "  In  a  large  community  of  young  men,  all 
these  vices  and  evils  will  appear.  It  was  to  meet  them 
that  the  keel  of  this  ship  was  laid,  and  our  institution 
organized.  I  expect  to  find  vice,  and  even  crime, 
among  the  boys.     They  that  be  sick  need  a  physician, 


I96  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

not  they  that  be  whole.  These  boys  certainly  behave 
better  on  board  the  ship  than  they  did  on  shore  at  the 
various  academies  they  attended.  Pelham,  who  is  now 
fourth  lieutenant,  and  has  been  first,  was  one  of  the 
hardest  boys  in  the  school  to  which  he  belonged  in 
New  York.  He  has  given  us  no  trouble  here,  though 
he  has  been  a  little  sulky  since  he  fell  from  his  former 
rank.  Shuffles,  who,  in  the  Brockway  Academy,  was 
the  worst  boy  I  ever  knew,  without  exception,  behaved 
himself  astonishingly  well  for  a  whole  year.  I  am 
sorry  to  see  that  he  has  begun  the  second  year  badly." 

"  O,  his  is  a  very  hopeful  case  !  "  said  Mr.  Agneau. 
"  He  is  penitent  for  his  folly,  and  I  never  saw  so  great 
a  change  in  an  individual  as  he  exhibited  on  my  sec- 
ond visit  to  him  last  evening." 

"  I  hope  he  will  not  disappoint  you.  I  only  men- 
tioned him  to  show  what  a  benefit  the  ship  had  been 
to  him  ;  for  if  it  keeps  him  out  of  trouble  even  a  single 
year,  it  is  so  far  a  blessing  to  him,  to  say  nothing  of  his 
intellectual  progress,  which  has  been  more  than  satis- 
factory. The  fact  that  there  are  gambling,  and  drink- 
ing, and  other  vices  on  board,  does  not  diminish  my 
faith  in  the  institution." 

"  It  certainly  ought  not  to  do  so,"  added  Dr.  Win- 
stock,  who  was  not  so  sanguine  a  reformer  as  the  chap- 
lain, and  was  willing  to  wait  till  the  medicine  had 
time  to  produce  an  effect.  "  Here  is  an  evil :  we 
must  meet  it,  and  we  needn't  stop  to  groan  over  it. 
What's  to  be  done?  that's  the  question." 

"  The  officer  of  the  watch  must  be  required  to  visit 
every  room  during  the  first  watch  at  least,"  said  the 
principal. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  1 97 

"  But  those  -who  are  disposed  to  gamble  will  find 
abundant  opportunities  to  do  so,"  suggested  the  doctor. 
u  A  couple  of  them  up  in  the  maintop,  or  even  in  the 
cross-trees,  could  shake  props,  '  odd  or  even,'  and 
play  other  games  of  chance,  without  being  seen.  \ 
don't  think  you  have  hit  the  nail  on  the  head  yet,  Mr. 
Lowington." 

"  The  utmost  vigilance  we  can  use  will  not  entirely 
prevent  evil.  We  depend  upon  moral  influences,  as 
Well  as  discipline,  for  the  prevention  and  cure  of  vice 
and  error,"  added  the  principal. 

"  I'm  afraid  a  lecture  on  gambling  wouldn't  do  much 
good  while  the  means  of  play  were  still  in  the  hands 
of  the  students.  It  would  influence  some  ;  but  others 
are  not  to  be  influenced  in  any  way :  a  strong  arm 
alone  will  meet  their  case." 

"  We  can  take  the  props  from  them,"  said  Mr.  Low- 
ington. 

"You  must  go  a  step  farther  than  that ;  you  must 
search  the  berths  and  lockers  for  cards,  dice,  or  other 
gambling  implements.  Even  then  you  will  not  have 
struck  at  the  root  of  the  evil." 

"  What  is  the  root  of  the  evil?  "  asked  the  principal. 

"  Money,  sir ! "  replied  the  doctor,  with  unusual 
energy. 

"  That  is  said  to  be  the  root  of  all  evil,"  added  Mr. 
Lowington,  with  a  smile. 

"  Among  boys,  money  does  more  injury  than  we  can 
comprehend.  A  college  friend  of  mine  was  wholly 
spoiled  by  his  allowance  of  money.  His  purse  was 
always  full,  which  made  him  the  prey  of  dissolute  per- 
sons. He  always  had  the  means  of  gratifying  his 
17* 


I9S  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

appetites,  and  is  now  a  sot,  if  he  is  living.  He  began 
to  drink,  gamble,  and  dissipate  generally,  before  he 
entered  college  :  he  was  expelled  in  a  year.  Without 
money,  as  a  boy,  he  would  have  been  saved  from  a 
score  of  temptations.  Every  boy  on  board  this  ship 
has  a  pocket  full  of  sovereigns  for  his  European  ex- 
penses. They  are  all  young  nabobs,  and  if  you  ever 
let  them  go  ashore,  you  will  have  your  hands  full, 
Mr.  Lowington.  They  will  drink  beer  and  wine,  visit 
bad  places,  gamble  and  carouse.  While  they  have 
plenty  of  money,  you  can  hardly  prevent  them  from 
being  a  nuisance  to  you  and  to  themselves." 

"  There  is  a  great  deal  of  force  in  what  you  say, 
Dr.  Winstock." 

"  Money  will  be  the  root  of  all  evil  to  these  boys, 
most  emphatically.  Those  who  are  disposed  to  gam- 
ble will  do  so  while  they  have  money." 

"  The  inference  to  be  drawn  from  your  remarks  is, 
that  the  students  should  not  have  pocket  money." 

"  Most  decidedly  that  is  my  opinion.  If  I  had  a 
son,  I  wouldn't  allow  him  a  penny  of  pocket  money." 

"  That  would  be  rather  hard,"  said  the  chaplain. 

"  I  know  it,  but  it  would  be  the  best  thing  in  the 
world  for  the  boy.  I  don't  mean  to  say  that  I  would 
never  permit  him  to  have  money  ;  but  he  should  have 
no  stated  allowance;  and  when  he  had  a  dollar,  I 
should  want  to  know  how  it  was  to  be  expended." 

"  This  question  of  money  allowances  has  been  under 
serious  consideration  with  me." 

"  You  can't  handle  the  boys  in  Europe  with  money 
in  their  pockets.  A  regiment  of  soldiers  could  not 
keep  them  straight." 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT. 


I99 


"  I  think  you  are  right,  doctor.  I  am  tempted  to 
take  their  money  from  them." 

"  Do  it,  by  all  means  !  "  exclaimed  Dr.  Winstock. 

The  chaplain  regarded  the  measure  as  rather  high- 
handed. He  thought  it  would  belittle  the  boys,  and 
deprive  them  of  some  portion  of  their  self-respect. 
The  instructors  came  into  the  cabin  at  seven  bells,  and 
their  opinions  were  taken.  Four  of  the  six  were  in 
favor  of  taking  all  money  from  the  boys.  Mr.  Low- 
ington  had  already  reached  this  view  of  the  case,  and 
it  was  resolved  to  take  the  important  step  at  once,  as 
the  best  means  of  effectually  putting  a  stop  to  the  prac- 
tice of  gambling. 

Mr.  Fluxion  had  been  unable  to  attend  this  confer- 
ence for  more  than  a  few  moments,  for  he  was  the 
instructor  in  mathematics,  which  included  navigation, 
and  he  was  compelled  to  superintend  the  observations, 
which  were  made  with  separate  instruments  by  him- 
self and  by  the  two  masters  of  the  forenoon  watch. 
The  position  of  the  ship  was  found,  and  marked  on 
the  chart,  and  the  "  dead  reckoning"  compared  with 
the  result  obtained  by  calculation. 

At  one  bell  in  the  afternoon  watch,  all  hands  were 
piped  to  muster,  and  the  gamblers  readily  understood 
that  this  call  was  for  their  especial  benefit. 

"  Wilton,"  said  Mr.  Lowington,  from  his  usual 
position. 

The  culprit  came  forward. 

"  With  whom  were  you  gambling  in  mess  room  No. 
8,  this  forenoon?"  asked  the  principal. 

Wilton  looked  up  at  the  stern  dispenser  of  discipline. 
If  he  did  not  know,  it  was  not  his  business  to  tell. 


200  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  Answer  me." 

"  I  don't  know." 

"You  are  telling  a  falsehood." 

"  I  don't  remember  their  names  now,"  said  Wilton. 

"  You  do  remember  them  ;  and  for  each  falsehood 
you  utter  you  shall  suffer  an  additional  penalty." 

"  I'm  not  a  telltale,  sir,"  answered  Wilton,  dogged* 
ly.     "I  don't  want  to  tell  who  they  were." 

"Very  well;  why  didn't  you  say  that  at  first?  I 
have  some  respect  for  the  student  who  dislikes  to 
betray  even  his  companions  in  error ;  none  at  all  for  a 
liar.  Adler  and  Sanborn,"  added  the  principal  ;  and 
the  two  gamblers  stepped  up  to  the  hatch.  "  Young 
gentlemen,  you  are  charged  with  gambling.  Have 
you  anything  to  say?  " 

"  Nothing  sir,"  they  all  replied. 

"  Wilton,  how  much  money  have  you  lost  at  play?  " 

"  None,  sir." 

"  How  much  have  you  made  ?  " 

"  Ten  shillings  —  half  a  sovereign." 

"  From  whom  did  you  win  it?  " 

"  From  Sanborn." 

"  Return  it  to  him." 

Wilton  obeyed.  Adler  had  won  about  a  dollar  from 
Sanborn,  which  he  was  also  compelled  to  restore. 
Mr.  Lowington  was  satisfied  that  others  had  gained 
or  lost  by  gambling,  but  as  he  did  not  know  who  the 
other  gamblers  were,  he  did  not  attempt  to  have  the 
ill-gotten  money  restored  ;  for  he  never  made  himself 
ridiculous  to  the  students  by  endeavoring  to  do  what 
could  not  be  done. 

Mr.  Lowington  then  made  a  very  judicious  address 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  201 

upon  the  evil  of  gambling,  pointing  out  its  dangerous 
fascination,  and  the  terrible  consequences  which  sooner 
or  later  overtook  its  victims.  He  illustrated  his  re- 
marks by  examples  drawn  from  real  life.  The  chap- 
lain followed  him,  detailing  the  career  of  a  young  man 
whom  he  had  attended  in  prison,  and  who  h.ad  been 
utterly  ruined  by  the  habit  of  gaming,  contracted 
before  he  was  of  age. 

These  addresses  seemed  to  produce  a  deep  impres- 
sion on  the  boys,  and  one  would  have  judged  by  their 
looks  that  they  all  regarded  the  dangerous  practice 
with  well-grounded  horror.  Mr.  Lowington  took  the 
stand  again,  and  followed  with  another  address  upon 
"  the  root  of  all  evil ;  "  adding  that,  having  money  in 
their  possession,  they  would  be  tempted  to  gamble. 

"  Now,  young  gentlemen,  I  propose  that  you  all 
deliver  your  funds  to  me,  taking  my  receipt  for  what- 
ever amount  you  deliver  to  me.  When  you  have  any 
real  need  of  money,  apply  to  me,  and  I.  will  restore 
it,"  added  Mr.  Lowington. 

"  Take  our  money  from  us  !  "  exclaimed  several ;  and 
it  was  evident  that  the  proposition  was  creating  a  tre- 
mendous sensation  amon£  the  students. 


202  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 


CHAPTER   XIII. 


PIPING    TO    MISCHIEF. 


AFTER  the  offensive  announcement  that  the 
students  were  to  deliver  up  their  money  to  the 
principal,  and  take  his  receipt  for  it,  the  crew  were 
dismissed  from  muster,  after  being  informed  that  the 
business  of  receiving  the  funds  would  be  immediately 
commenced  in  the  steerage.  The  three  gamblers  were 
not  punished,  except  by  the  mortification  of  the  expo- 
sure, even  by  the  loss  of  their  marks,  though  Wilton  was 
confined  in  the  brig  one  hour  for  each  falsehood  he 
had  uttered.  Mr.  Lowington  knew  that  at  least  a 
dozen  of  the  boys  were  guilty  of  gambling;  and  as  the 
matter  now  came  up  for  the  first  time,  he  did  not 
deem  it  expedient  to  punish  those  who  had  been  dis- 
covered, hoping  that  the  preventive  measures  he  had 
adopted  would  effectually  suppress  the  evil. 

Many  of  the  students  regarded  the  taking  of  their 
money  as  an  indignity.  Only  a  few  of  them,  compar- 
atively, had  engaged  in  gambling,  though  many  of  the 
occupants  of  the  steerage  knew  of  the  existence  of  the 
practice  on  board  the  ship.  They  were  willing  to 
believe,  and  did  believe,  after  the  impressive  addresses 
to  which  they  had  listened,  that  games  of  chance 
were  a  perilous  amusement,  but  they  were  not  quite 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  203 

willing  to  acknowledge  the  justice  of  Mr.  Lowington's 
measures. 

Most  of  the  officers,  and  many  of  the  crew,  cheer- 
fully complied  with  the  new  regulation.  They  handed 
their  money  to  the  pursers,  and  received  a  receipt  for 
the  amount,  signed  by  the  principal.  Others  emptied 
the  contents  of  their  exchequer  sullenly,  and  under 
protest ;  while  not  a  few  openly  grumbled  in  the  pres- 
ence of  Mr.  Lowington.  Some  of  "our  fellows" 
attempted  to  keep  back  a  portion  of  their  funds,  and 
perhaps  a  few  succeeded,  though  the  tact  of  the  prin- 
cipal exposed  the  deceit  in  several  instances.  What- 
ever may  be  thought  of  the  justice  or  the  expediency  of 
depriving  the  students  of  their  money,  it  was  evidently 
an  exceedingly  unpopular  step. 

In  the  second  dog  watch,  when  Shuffles  and  Paul 
Kendall  were  off  duty,  they  happened  to  meet  in  the 
waist ;  and  the  exciting  topic  of  the  day  came  up  for 
discussion,  as  it  had  in  every  little  group  that  collected 
that  afternoon.  Shuffles  had  accomplished  his  pur- 
pose ;  he  had  accomplished  far  more  than  he  intended. 
He  had  expected  nothing  more  than  a  general  on- 
slaught upon  gambling,  followed  by  increased  strin- 
gency in  the  regulations,  and  a  closer  watch  over  the 
students  in  their  rooms,  which  would  produce  sufficient 
irritation  among  the  boys  to  suit  his  purposes.  Now 
the  crew,  and  even  some  of  the  officers,  were  in  a 
ferment  of  indignation,  and  ripe  for  a  demonstration 
of  any  kind. 

"  The  business  is  done,"  said  Paul  Kendall,  as  he 
met  the  conspirator. 

"  I'm  afraid  it's  overdone,"  answered  Shuffles,  seri- 


204  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

ously,  though  he  was  actually  in  a  state  of  exultation 
over  the  effect  which  had  been  produced  by  the  new 
regulation. 

"  I  hope  not.  I  did  not  mention  your  name  to  the 
principal  in  connection  with  the  matter,"  added  Paul. 

"Didn't  he  ask  you?" 

"  He  did  ;  but  when  I  stated  the  case  to  him,  and 
told  him  the  person  who  had  given  me  the  informa- 
tion had  let  it  out  accidentally,  and  did  not  wish  to 
be  known,  he  asked  no  more  questions." 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Kendall.  This  last  measure  is 
so  unpopular  that  I  should  have  been  cast  out  like  an 
Unclean  bird,  if  it  were  known  that  I  gave  the  hint." 

"  No  one  shall  know  anything  about  it  from  me, 
Shuffles.  You  did  a  good  thing  for  the  ship,  and  for 
every  fellow  in  it." 

"  They  wouldn't  be  willing  to  believe  that  just 
now,"  said  Shuffles,  laughing. 

"  Perhaps  not ;  but  it  is  a  fact,  none  the  less." 

"  I  didn't  think  Mr.  Lowington  would  go  it  quite  so 
strong.  If  I  had,  I  shouldn't  have  told  you  what  I 
did." 

"  Why,  are  you  not  satisfied  with  what  has  been 
done  ?  "  asked  Kendall,  with  some  astonishment. 

"  No,  I  am  not.  I  am  glad  enough  to  see  the  gam- 
bling stopped,  but  I  don't  think  the  principal  had  any 
more  right  to  take  my  money  away  from  me  than  he 
had  to  take  my  head  off,"  replied  Shuffles,  earnestly. 

"  Don't  you  think  it  will  be  better  for  the  fellows  to 
be  without  money  than  with  it?  " 

"  Perhaps  it  will ;  I  don't  know  about  that.  Your 
neighbor  might  be  a  better  man  if  he  were  poor  than 


YOUNG    AMERICA   AFLOAT.  205 

if  he  were  rich :  does  that  make  it  that  you  have  any 
right  to  take  his  property  from  him  ?  " 

"  I  don't  think  it  does,"  replied  Paul. 

"  The  State  of  Massachusetts,  for  instance,  or  the 
State  of  Ohio,  makes  laws  against  games  of  chance. 
Why  not  make  a  law,  if  a  man  gambles,  that  all  his 
money  shall  be  taken  from  him?" 

"  The  state  has  no  right  to  make  such  a  law,  I 
suppose." 

"  But  the  principal  goes  a  long  reach  beyond  that. 
He  takes  every  man's  money  away  from  him,  whether 
he  is  accused  of  gambling  or  not.  Do  you  think  he 
had  any  right  to  do  that?  " 

"  He  hasn't  made  any  law  ;  but  if  you  want  law, 
I'll  give  you  some  !  "  laughed  Paul,  who  was  disposed 
to  treat  the  subject  very  good-naturedly,  especially  as 
there  was  so  much  loose  indignation  floating  about  the 
decks. 

"  I  don't  mean  law  alone,  but  justice,"  added  Shuf- 
fles. "  I  call  it  high-handed  injustice  to  take  the 
fellows'  money  away  from  them." 

"  Let  me  give  you  a  little  law,  then,"  persisted  Paul. 
"  How  old  are  you,  Shuffles?  " 

"  Eighteen." 

"  Good  !     You  are  an  infant." 

"  In  law,  I  am." 

"  Suppose  your  uncle,  or  somebody  else,  should  die 
to-day,  and  leave  you  fifty  thousand  dollars  :  wouldn't 
you  have  a  good  time  with  it?  " 

u  I  should,  as  soon  as  I  got  hold  of  it,  you  had 
better  believe,"  replied  Shuffles. 

"  As  soon  as  you  got  hold  of  it !  "  exclaimed  Paul. 
18 


2o6  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  I  suppose  I  should  have  a  guardian  till  I  became 
of  age." 

u  Who  would  appoint  your  guardian?  " 

"  The  court,  I  believe." 

"  Exactly  so  !  The  law  !  What,  take  your  money 
away  from  you,  or  not  let  you  touch  it !  " 

"  That's  law,  certainly." 

"  Well,  wouldn't  the  law  have  just  as  much  right  to 
take  off  a  fellow's  head,  as  to  take  his  money?"  de- 
manded Paul,  triumphantly. 

"  Mr.  Lowington  is  not  our  guardian." 

"  Yes,  he  is,  for  the  time  being ;  and  I  hold  that  he 
has  just  as  much  right  to  take  your  money  from  you 
as  your  father  would  have." 

u  I  don't  see  it ;  I  don't  believe  it.  The  money  was 
given  us  by  our  fathers  to  spend  in  Europe  when  we 
get  there." 

"  Mr.  Lowington  is  to  pay  all  our  expenses  on  shore, 
by  the  terms  of  the  contract.  Besides,  the  regulations 
of  the  Academy  Ship,  to  which  all  the  parents  assented, 
require  that  the  control  of  the  boys  shall  be  wholly 
given  up  to  the  principal.     It's  a  plain  case,  Shuffles." 

Mr.  Lowington  and  his  policy  had  an  able  and  zeal- 
ous defender  in  the  person  of  Paul  Kendall,  who,  by 
his  arguments,  as  well  as  his  influence,  had  already 
reconciled  several  of  the  students  to  the  new  regula- 
tion. 

"  If  I  were  willing  to  grant  the  right  of  the  princi- 
pal to  take  the  fellows'  money  from  them  — -  which  I 
am  not  —  I  think  it  is  treating  them  like  babies  to  do 
so.     It  is  punishing  the  innocent  with  the  guilty." 

"  Mr.  Lowington  said,  in  so  many  words,  that  the 


YOUNG    AMERICA   AFLOAT.  207 

measure  was  not  intended  as  a  punishment ;  that  it 
was  purely  a  matter  of  discipline,  intended  to  meet 
certain  evils  which  must  appear  when  we  landed  in 
Europe,  as  well  as  to  prevent  gambling." 

Paul  certainly  had  the  best  of  the  argument ;  but 
Shuffles  was  not  convinced,  because  he  did  not  wish 
to  be  convinced. 

At  eight  bells,  when  the  first  part  of  the  port  watch 
went  on  duty,  the  wind  had  shifted  from  west  to  north  ; 
the  studding-sails  had  been  taken  in.  the  spanker, 
main  spencer,  and  all  the  stay-sails  had  been  set,  and 
the  ship,  close-hauled,  was  barely  laying  her  course. 
The  wind  was  fresh,  and  she  was  heeled  over  on  the 
starboard  side,  so  that  her  decks  formed  a  pretty  steep 
inclined  plane.  Under  these  circumstances,  it  required 
a  great  deal  of  skill  and  watchfulness  on  the  part  of 
the  wheelmen  to  keep  the  sails  full,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  lay  the  course.  As  the  ship's  head  met  the 
heavy  seas,  a  great  deal  of  spray  was  dashed  on  deck, 
and  the  position  of  the  lookout-men  on  the  top-gallant 
forecastle  was  not  as  comfortable  as  if  the  weather 
had  been  warmer.  There  was  no  dodging ;  every 
student  was  obliged  to  stand  at  his  post,  wet  or  dry, 
blow  high  or  blow  low. 

Wilton  had  been  discharged  from  confinement  in 
the  brig,  where  Mr.  Agneau  had  visited  him,  giving 
him  good  advice  and  religious  instruction,  as  he  did  to 
all  who  were  punished  in  any  manner,  and  was  now 
with  his  watch  on  deck.  The  new  regulation  was 
particularly  odious  to  "  our  fellows,"  and  Wilton  re- 
garded himself  as  a  martyr  to  the  popular  cause,  for- 
getting that  he  had  been  punished  for  the  lies  he  had 


2oS  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

.told.  He  and  twenty  others  were  forward  to  say  they 
"  wouldn't  stand  it ;  "  and  the  indignation  seemed  to 
be  increasing  rather  than  subsiding. 

"  Well,  Wilton,  how  do  you  like  the  inside  of  the 
brig?"  asked  Shuffles,  when  they  met  in  the  main-top, 
having  been  sent  aloft  to  clear  away  the  bowline 
bridle  on  the  main-topsail. 

"  I  like  it  well  enough,"  replied  Wilton.  "  I  wasn't 
going  to  blow  on  the  fellows  ;  I  would  stay  in  there  a 
month  first." 

"  Did  you  give  up  your  money?  " 

"  Of  course  I  did  ;  I  couldn't  help  myself." 

"  How  do  you  like  the  new  regulation?" 

"  I  don't  like  it  any  better  than  the  rest  of  the  fellows 
do,"  answered  Wilton,  in  surly  tones.  "  I  won't  stand 
it,  either." 

"  O,  I  guess  you  will,"  laughed  Shuffles.  "  I  told 
you  Lowington  was  a  tyrant,  but  you  wouldn't  believe 
me." 

"  Yes,  I  would  ;  and  I  did." 

"  The  fellows  will  find  out  what  he  is  before  they 
are  many  days  older." 

"  I  think  they  have  found  out  now.  I  say,  Shuffles, 
was  this  the  row  you  spoke  about  last  night?  " 

"  Yes  ;  only  there's  more  of  it  than  I  expected." 

"  How  did  you  know  anything  about  it  before-* 
hand?" 

'.'  I  have  a  way  of  finding  out  these  things,"  replied 
the  artful  conspirator,  mysteriously.  "  I  have  one  or 
two  friends  at  court." 

"  Is  Paul  Kendall  one  of  them?  •" 

"  No  ;   he  is  a  simpleton.     He  don't  know  which 


YOUNG    AMERICA   AFLOAT.  209 

side  his  bread  is  buttered*     If  Lowington  takes  snuff, 
Kendall  sneezes." 

"I  have  seen  you  talking  with  him  two  or  three 
times  to-day." 

"  I  was  only  pumping  him/* 

"  Well,  there  is  a  jolly  row  on  board  now,  any- 
how," added  Wilton,  as  he  prepared  to  descend  over 
the  cat-harpings. 

"  Hold  on  ;  don't  let's  go  on  deck  yet,"  interposed 
Shuffles.  "  I  want  to  know  what  our  fellows  are  going 
to  do." 

"  They  will  call  us  down,  if  we  stop  here." 

"  When  they  do,  we  will  go  down,  then,"  replied 
Shuffles,  as  he  seated  himself  in  the  top,  with  his  legs 
through  the  lubber's-hole.  "  What  are  our  fellows  going 
to  do?     Do  they  mean  to  stand  this  thing?  " 

"  They  can't  help  themselves ;  they  are  mad  enough 
to  do  anything;  but  what's  the  use?"  added  Wilton, 
as  he  seated  himself  by  the  side  of  his  companion. 

"  Don't  you  think  they  will  join  the  League  now?" 

"  They  would  join  anything  that  would  give  them 
their  rights.  I'll  join  now  ;  but  I  don't  want  to  be 
toggled  in  such  a  way  as  you  said  last  night." 

"  Then  you  can't  be  toggled  at  all." 

"  I  haven't  any  idea  of  falling  overboard  accident- 
ally.    I'd  rather  lose  my  money  than  do  that." 

"  It's  nothing  but  a  form,  Wilton.  Between  you 
and  me,  it's  only  a  bugbear,  intended  to  work  upon 
the  nerves  and  the  imagination.  Of  course  we 
shouldn't  help  any  fellow  overboard ;  no  one  would 
dare  to  do  any  such  thing." 

"  I  don't  like  the  sound  of  the  thing." 
18* 


ZIO  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

u  If  you  really  mean  to  expose  the  secrets  which  are 
intrusted  to  you,  I  advise  you  not  to  join." 

is  I  don't  mean  any  such  thing,"  added  Wilton, 
indignantly. 

"  If  you  didn't,  you  wouldn't  be  afraid  of  the 
penalty. 

"  Toggle  me,  then  ;  and  see  what  I  mean." 

"  I  don't  want  you  to  go  in  if  you  don't  believe 
in  it." 

"  But  I  do  believe  in  it ;  so  go  ahead." 

Shuffles  pronounced  the  ridiculous  obligation  again, 
and  Wilton  repeated  it  after  him. 

"  Now  you  are  toggled,"  said  the  leader. 

"  What  are  we  going  to  do  ?  " 

"  Bring  in  the  rest  of  our  fellows  ;  that  is  the  first 
job.  In  my  opinion  we  can  get  over  fifty  of  them 
now." 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,"  answered  Wilton,  doubt- 
fully. 

"  I'm  very  sure  we  can.  If  we  get  enough  to  take 
the  ship,  we  can  have  all  the  rest  as  soon  as  we  have 
done  the  job." 

"  Take  the  ship  !  "  exclaimed  Wilton,  appalled  at 
the  idea. 

"  That's  what  we  mean." 

"  I  don't  believe  you  can  do  it,"  replied  the  doubtful 
"  link  in  the  Chain." 

"  It's  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world.  The  affair  will 
come  off  at  supper  time,  when  the  professors  are  all 
in  their  cabin.  All  we  have  to  do  is  to  clap  the  hatch 
on  the  after   companion-way,   and   secure  the   doors 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  211 

leading  from  the  main  cabin  into  the  steerage.  Then 
we  have  them,  and  they  can't  help  themselves." 

"  But  the  boatswain,  carpenter,  and  sailmaker  will 
be  loose." 

"  No,  they  won't.  At  the  right  time,  we  will  pass 
the  word  for  them,  and  say  that  Lowington  wants  to 
see  them  in  the  main  cabin.  As  soon  as  they  go 
below  we  will  put  the  hatch  on." 

"  The  cooks  and  stewards  will  still  be  at  large." 

"  We  can  lock  them  up  in  the  kitchen.  If  they 
make  trouble,  I  have  a  revolver,"  whispered  Shuf- 
fles. 

"  A  revolver  !  I  won't  have  anything  to  do  with  it 
if  you  are  going  to  use  pistols,"  said  the  alarmed  con- 
federate. 

"  It's  only  to  look  at ;  there  will  be  no  occasion  to 
use  it,"  answered  Shuffles,  soothingly. 

"  There  will  be  twelve  men,  besides  the  stewards, 
locked  up   in   the  main  cabin." 

"That's  so." 

"  How  long  do  you  suppose  it  would  take  them  to 
break  down  the  bulkhead  between  the  cabin  and  the 
steerage,  or  to  climb  up  through  the  skylight?" 

"  If  they  attempt  anything  of  that  kind,  we  can 
show  them  the  revolver ;  that  will  quiet  them." 

"You  might  frighten  the  parson  in  that  way;  but 
do  you  suppose  men  like  Mr.  Lowington,  Mr.  Fluxion, 
and  Peaks,  who  have  been  in  the  navy  so  long,  will  be 
afraid  of  a  pistol?" 

"  They  won't  want  to  be  shot,  if  they  have  been  in 
the  navy  all  their  lives." 

"  Then  you  mean  to  shoot  them?" 


212  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  They  will  think  we  do,  and  it  will  be  all  the 
same." 

"  I  don't  know  about  this  business.  I'm  afraid  the 
pistol  might  go  off,  and  hurt  somebody." 

"  I  suppose  you  could  raise  objections  all  night," 
added  Shuffles,  contemptuously.  "  I'm  not  going  to 
have  any  man  tyrannize  over  me,  Wilton.  I  suppose 
if  Lowington  wants  to  pull  every  fellow's  teeth  out, 
you  won't  object." 

"I'm  as  much  opposed  to  his  tyranny  as  you  are, 
and  I  will  do  anything  that  is  reasonable  ;  but  I  want 
to  know  whether  the  water  is  hot  or  cold  before  I  put 
my  fingers  into  it.  What's  the  use  of  blundering  into 
an  enterprise,  and  making  a  failure  of  it?" 

"  I  have  no  idea  of  making  a  failure  of  it.  Did  you 
ever  know  me  to  make  a  failure  of  anything  that  I 
attempted  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  have." 

"What?" 

"  You  failed  to  get  elected  captain  when  we  first 
came  aboard  of  the  ship." 

"  That  was  only  because  we  had  just  come  on 
board  ;  the  fellows  didn't  know  me,  and  I  didn't  know 
them.  We  are  better  acquainted  now,  and  I  am  just 
as  sure  of  success  as  though  we  had  already  won 
it,"  added  Shuffles,  confidently.  "  I  don't  believe  in 
making  failures." 

"  I  don't  believe  there  is  more  than  one  chance  in 
ten  for  you  to  succeed,"  continued  the  sceptic. 

"  There  isn't  more  than  one  chance  in  ten  for  us  to 
fail.  You  are  a  bird  of  evil  omen.  You  have  no  faith 
in  anything ;  and  if  you  are  going  to  croak  like  this,  I 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  213 

don't  want  you  in  the  Chain,"  added  Shuffles,  petu- 
lantly. 

"  I'm  in  for  it,  already ;  and  when  I  can  see  my 
way  clearly,  I  shall  be  as  strong  as  you  are." 

"  Then  don't  croak  any  more.  We  must  go  to 
work  while  the  fever  is  on  the  fellows,  and  make 
up " 


"  In  the  main-top,  ahoy  ! "  shouted  the  master,  from 
the  waist. 

"  On  deck  !  "  replied  Shuffles. 

"  Lay  down  from  aloft !  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

The  conspirators  descended,  after  Shuffles  had  ad- 
monished his  shaky  companion  to  be  discreet. 

"  What  are  you  doing  in  the  top  so  long?  "  demanded 
Foster,  the  first  master,  as  the  truants  reached  the 
sheer-pole. 

"  Watching  the  sea,  sir,"  replied  Shuffles.  "  It 
looks  fine  from  the  top." 

"When  you  have  done  what  you  are  sent  aloft 
for,  it  is  your  duty  to  come  down  and  report  it," 
added  the  officer. 

Shuffles  made  iio  reply,  as  he  probably  would  have 
done  if  he  had  not  had  a  heavy  operation  on  his 
hands,  which  prevented  him  from  indulging  in  any 
side  quarrels. 

Except  the  wheelmen  and  the  lookout,  the  watch 
on  deck  was  divided  into  little  groups,  who  were 
quartered  in  the  most  comfortable  places  they  could 
find,  telling  stories,  or  discussing  the  exciting  topic  of 
the  day. 

"  Shuffles,  some   of  our  fellows  want  to    see   you 


214  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

and  Wilton,"  said  Adler,  as  the  first  master  went 
below,  to  inspect  the  steerage,  at  two  bells. 

"  What's  up  ?  "  demanded  the  conspirator. 

"  Don't  say  anything,"  added  the  messenger,  as  he 
led  the  way  to  the  steerage  skylight,  under  the  lee  of 
'which  Sanborn  and  Grimme  had  stowed  themselves 
away,  out  of  the  reach  of  the  stream  that  was  flowing 
along  the  water-ways,  and  of  the  spray  which  was 
dashing  over  the  weather  bows. 

The  party  from  aloft,  with  the  messenger,  increased 
the  group  to  five,  which  was  the  total  number  of  u  our 
fellows  "  that  could  be  mustered  in  the  first  part  of  the 
port  watch. 

"What's  up?"  demanded  Shuffles,  when  he  had 
seated  himself  by  the  skylight. 

"  We  intend  to  pipe  to  mischief,  to-night,  Shuf- 
fles, and  we  want  some  help  from  you,"  said  Sanborn, 
in  reply. 

"  We  have  been  robbed  of  our  money,  and  we  are 
going  to  have  satisfaction,  somehow  or  other,"  added 
Grimme,  in  explanation.  "  We  are  not  going  to  stand 
this  sort  of  thing.  We  must  teach  Lowington  and 
the  professors  that  they  can't  put  our  noses  to  the 
grindstone." 

"  Exactly  so  !  "  exclaimed  Shuffles.  '•'  And  you 
intend  to  put  them  there  yourselves.  In  other  words, 
you  mean  to  get  into  some  scrape,  and  be  punished 
for  it,  as  I  was." 

"  No,  we  don't.  We  are  going  to  work  man-of- 
war  style.  Old  Peaks  told  us  how  to  do  it,  when  we 
were  on  watch  last  night,"  replied  Grimme. 

"Peaks?" 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  215 

"  Yes,  he  spun  us  a  yarn  about  man-of-war  life,  and 
told  us  how  the  men  serve  out  the  officers  when  they 
don't  behave  themselves." 

"  Peaks  told  you  this  —  did  he?  "  demanded  Shuffles. 

"  Of  course  he  didn't  mean  to  have  us  do  anything 
of  t  le  kind." 

"  Well,  how  did  he  tell  you  to  serve  out  the 
officers  ?  " 

"  Make  them  uncomfortable  ;  keep  them  in  a  hornet's 
nest  all  the  time." 

"  How?    How?"  asked  Shuffles,  impatiently. 

"  Why,  if  the  unpopular  officer  went  forward,  a 
belaying  pin  was  sure  to  drop  on  his  head  or  his  feet ; 
a  tar  can  or  a  paint  pot  would  be  upset  on  his  back ; 
or,  if  he  went  below,  a  cannon  ball  was  liable  to  roll 
out  of  a  shot  case  upon  him.  Of  course  no  one  ever 
knew  the  author  of  this  mischief." 

"  Do  you  propose  to  play  off  any  of  these  tricks  on 
Lowington?"  demanded  Shuffles. 

"We  have  got  a  rod  in  pickle  for  him?"  replied 
Grimme,  chuckling. 

"What  is  it?" 

"  We  intend  to  give  him  a  dose  of  kerosene  oil,  to 
begin  with,"  laughed  Sanborn. 

"  One  of  the  stewards  left  his  oil  can  on  the  fore- 
scuttle  ladder,  after  the  hatch  was  put  on  to  keep  the 
spray  out,  and  I  took  possession  of  it,"  added  Grimme, 
hardly  able  to  keep  his  mirth  within  the  limits  of 
prudence. 

44  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  it?  "  asked  Shuffles. 

4*  We  are  going  to  give  Lowington  the  contents  of 
ri»     tan,  and  then  throw  it  overboard." 


2l6  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  Indeed !  Who  is  the  fellow  that  has  boldness 
enough  to  do  this  thing?" 

"  I  have  ;  and  I  have  volunteered  tr  do  the  job," 
answered  Grimme,  with  a  degree  of  assurance  which 
astonished  even  Shuffles. 

"  You  dare  not  do  it !  " 

"  I  dare,  and  I  will,  if  the  fellows  will  stand  by  me. 
Lowington  is  sitting  at  the  table  in  the  professors' 
cabin,  right  under  the  skylight,  reading.  One  section 
of  the  skylight  is  open,  and  you  can  see  him,  as  plain 
as  day.  It's  as  dark  as  a  pocket  on  deck,  and  tin* 
officers  can't  see  you  twenty  feet  off.  All  I  have  to  dtf 
is  to  pop  the  oil  through  the  opening,  and  get  out  of 
the  way." 

"What  then?" 

"  Why,  he  will  come  on  deck,  and  try  to  find  out 
who  did  it ;  but  he  can't." 

"  Perhaps  he  can." 

"  No,  he  can't ;  only  half  a  dozen  of  the  fellows 
will  know  anything  about  it,  and  of  course  they  won't 
let  on." 

11  Suppose  he  don't  find  out.  What  good  will  this 
trick  do?" 

"  The  second  part  of  the  port  watch  must  follow  up 
the  game.  Lowington  will  come  on  deck  at  eight 
bells,  and  Monroe,  in  the  starboard  watch,  will  give 
him  another  dose." 

"What  will  that  be?" 

"  Slush  the  first  step  of  the  ladder  at  the  after  com- 
panion-way, and  let  him  tumble  down  stairs,"  chuckled 
Grimme. 

•"  Then  Lynch  will  give  him  some  more,"  said  Adler. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  217 

"  Well,  you  may  break  his  neck  when  he  tumbles 
down  the  ladder.  I'll  have  nothing  to  do  with  any 
of  those  tricks,"  added  Shuffles,  decidedly.  "  If  you 
want  to  pipe  to  mischief,  I'm  with  you,  but  in  no  such 
way  as  that.     Those  are  little,  mean,  dirty  tricks." 

"  But  they  will  keep  him  in  hot  water  all  the  time, 
and  he  will  get  sick  of  being  a  tyrant  over  the  fellows 
in  less  than  a  week.  There  are  twenty  things  we 
might  do  to  annoy  him,  which  would  help  to  bring 
him  to  his  senses.  For  instance,  when  the  steward 
carries  the  coffee  into  the  professors'  cabin,  one  fellow 
might  engage  his  attention,  while  another  drops  a 
lump  of  salt,  a  handful  of  pepper,  or  a  piece  of 
tobacco  into  the  urn." 

"  I  don't  want  to  hear  any  more  of  such  low-lived 
tricks,"  interposed  the  magnificent  conspirator.  "  If 
you  want  to  pipe  to  mischief,  let  us  do  it  like  men." 

"  What  would  you  do  ?  Fifty  of  the  fellows,  at  least, 
will  go  into  anything  to  punish  Lowington  for  his 
tyranny." 

"Join  the  Chain,  then,"  said  Shuffles,  in  a  whisper, 
and  with  a  suitable  parade  of  mystery. 

"The  what?" 

"  The  Chain." 

The  object  of  the  League  was  duly  explained  ;  and 
before  the  second  part  of  the  port  watch  came  on 
deck,  three  new  members  had  been  "  tosrsrled." 
Greatly  to  the  satisfaction  of  Shuffles,  and  to  the  aston- 
ishment of  Wilton,  they  did  not  hesitate  at  the  penalty 
of  the  obligation,  and  seemed  to  be  entirely  willing  to 
"fall  overboard  accidentally"  if  they  failed  to  make 
sti'ong  and  faithful  "  links  in  the  Chain." 
19 


21 8  OUTWARD    BOUND,    Oil 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

ALL   HANDS,    B-EEF    TOPSAILS  ! 

AUGUSTUS  PELHAM,  the  fourth  lieutenant 
of  the  Young  America,  was  almost  the  only 
malcontent  among  the  officers ;  the  only  one  who  per- 
sistently declined  to  be  reconciled  to  the  new  regula- 
tion. Others  objected  to  it ;  others  criticised  it,  and 
even  regarded  the  act  as  tyrannical ;  but  the  good  offices 
of  Paul  Kendall,  who  argued  the  question  with  them, 
as  he  did  with  Shuffles,  had  in  a  measure  conciliated 
them,  and  they  were  at  least  disposed  to  submit  grace- 
fully to  the  order.  But  Pelham  was  not  of  this  num- 
ber. He  was  above  the  average  age,  and,  like  the 
chief  conspirator  on  board,  expecting  to  leave  the  ship 
at  the  end  of  the  first  year,  had  not  exerted  himself  ta 
the  extent  of  his  ability.  He  had  been  first  lieuten- 
ant, and  had  now  fallen  to  fourth.  He  was  older  than 
the  captain,  and  it  galled  him  to  be  subject  to  one 
younger  than  himself. 

He  was  dissatisfied  with  his  rank,  and  this  had  a 
tendency  to  make  him  a  grumbler.  It  needed  only  an 
appearance  of  tyranny  or  injustice  to  array  him  in 
spirit  against  the  authorities  of  the  ship.  Shuffles 
knew  his  state  of   mind,  and  was  prepared  to   take 


YOUNG    AMERICA    AFLOAT.  219 

advantage  of  it,  hoping  through  him  to  gain  other  dis- 
contented spirits  in  the  cabin. 

When  the  first  part  of  the  port  watch  was  relieved, 
the  "  Chain  "  consisted  of  five  links,  and  the  conspira- 
tors were  well  satisfied  with  the  present  success  of  the 
enterprise.  Each  of  the  new  members  of  the  League 
was  commissioned  to  obtain  a  recruit,  whose  name 
was  given  to  him,  and  he  was  required  to  report 
upon  the  case,  to  Shuffles,  before  eight  bells  in  the 
afernoon  watch.  As  a  measure  of  precaution,  it  was 
required  that  no  meetings  should  be  held  ;  that  not 
more  than  three  members  should  assemble  for  business 
at  any  one  time.  The  utmost  care  and  circumspec- 
tion were  urged,  and  it  was  agreed  that  not  a  word 
should  be  said  in  the  steerage,  where  it  was  possible 
*br  any  of  the  professors  to  overhear  it. 

The  second  part  of  the  port  watch,  with  Pelham  as 
officer  of  the  deck,  went  on  duty  at  ten  o'clock.  The 
wind  had  been  freshening  for  the  last  two  hours,  and 
it  was  now  necessary  to  reduce  sail.  The  royals  were 
first  taken  in,  and  then  the  top-gallant  sails. 

"  We  can't  lay  this  course,  sir,"  said  Burchmore,  the 
quartermaster,  who  was  conning  the  helm.  "  The 
wind  is  hauling  to  the  eastward." 

"  Make  the  course  east  by  north  then,"  replied  Pel- 
ham,  without  taking  the  trouble  to  consult  the  captain 
or  Mr.  Fluxion,  both  of  whom  were  on  deck. 

"  The  wind  is  north-north-east,  sir,"  reported  the 
quartermaster,  a  short  time  afterwards. 

"  Keep  her  east  then." 

At  six  bells  the  wind  was  north-east,  and  coming 
heavier  and  heavier  every   moment.     The   ship   was 


220  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

headed  east-south-east,  and  it  was  evident  that  she  still 
had  on  more  sail  than  she  could  easily  carry. 

"  What's  the  course,  Mr.  Pelham  ?  "  asked  Captain 
Gordon. 

"  East-south-east,  sir,"  replied  Pelham. 

u  The  course  given  out  was  east-north-east." 

"  I  have  changed  it  three  times  within  the  last  hour," 
answered  the  fourth  lieutenant,  in  rather  surly  tones. 

"  By  whose  order?"  demanded  the  captain. 

"  By  no  one's  order,  sir." 

"  You  know  the  regulation  for  the  officer  of  the 
deck.  He  is  not  permitted  to  alter  the  course  of  the 
ship,  unless  to  avoid  some  sudden  danger,  without 
informing  the  captain." 

"  I  had  to  alter  the  course,  or  have  the  topsails 
thrown  aback,"  replied  Pelham. 

"  Very  likely  it  was  proper  to  alter  the  course  ;  but 
it  was  also  proper  to  inform  me,  especially  when  I 
was  on  deck." 

"  Very  well,  Captain  Gordon.  I  will  not  alter  the 
course  again  without  your  order,"  added  the  fourth 
lieutenant,  stiffly. 

"  The  regulation  is  not  mine,  Mr.  Pelham,"  contin- 
ued the  captain,  sternly. 

As  the  wind  increased,  sail  was  reduced  to  topsails 
and  courses,  jib  and  spanker ;  but  at  seven  bells  even 
these  were  found  to  be  too  much  for  her. 

"  Captain  Gordon,  it  is  coming  heavier,"  said  Mr. 
Fluxion.     "  I  think  it  will  be  necessary  to  reef." 

"  I  was  thinking  of  that,  sir.  The  wind  is  north- 
east, and  blowing  a  gale." 

"  You  had  better  call  all  hands,  and  do  it  at  once." 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  221 

"  Mr.  Pelham,  you  will  call  all  hands  to  reef  top 
sails  ! " 

"All  hands,  sir?" 

"  Certainly,  Mr.  Pelham  ;  that  was  my  order,"  re* 
plied  the  captain,  more  sharply  than  usual,  for  there 
was  something  in  the  manner  of  the  officer  of  the 
deck  which  he  did  not  like,  and  he  found  it  necessary 
to  maintain  the  dignity  of  his  position. 

Pelham  touched  his  cap  ;  he  felt  the  weight  of  au- 
thority upon  him  heavier  than  ever  before.  Until 
recently  he  had  always  performed  his  duty  cheerfully, 
and  was  considered  a  first-rate  officer.  Since  the  new 
regulation  had  been  put  in  force,  and  he  had  been 
compelled  to  deliver  up  ten  sovereigns  in  his  posses- 
sion, he  had  been  rather  disagreeable.  In  the  cabin 
he  had  used  some  language  reflecting  upon  the  prin- 
cipal, and  he  was  now  regarded  as  a  malcontent  by 
the  captain,  and  by  those  who  still  sustained  the  dis- 
cipline of  the  ship. 

"  Morrison,"  called  he,  as  he  went  forward  to  the 
waist. 

"  Here,  sir,"  replied  the  boatswain,  who  belonged 
in  this  quarter  watch  ;  and  there  was  a  boatswain's 
mate  in  each  of  the  others. 

"  Call  all  hands  to  reef  topsails." 

The  shrill  pipe  of  the  boatswain's  whistle  soon  rang 
above  the  howling  winds,  which  now  sounded  gloom- 
ily through  the  rigging.  The  call  was  repeated  in  the 
steerage,  and  at  the  door  of  the  after  cabin,  where  it 
could  be  heard  by  the  officers,  for  no  one  on  board  is 
exempted  when  all  hands  are  called.  This  was  the 
first  taste  of  the  hardships  of  a  seaman's  life  to  which 
19  * 


222  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

the  students  had  been  invited.  It  is  not  pleasant,  to 
say  the  least,  to  be  turned  out  of  a  warm  bed  in  a 
gale,  when  the  wind  comes  cold  and  furious,  laden 
with  the  spray  of  the  ocean,  and  be  sent  aloft  in  the 
rigging  of  the  ship,  when  she  is  rolling  and  pitching, 
jumping  and  jerking,  in  the  mad  waves.  But  there 
is  no  excuse  at  such  a  time,  and  nothing  but  positive 
physical  disability  can  exempt  officer  or  seaman  from 
duty. 

It  was  the  first  time  the  boys  had  seen  a  gale  at  sea, 
and  though  it  was  not  yet  what  would  be  called  a 
strong  gale,  it  was  sufficiently  terrific  to  produce  a  deep 
impression  upon  them.  The  ship  was  still  close- 
hauled,  under  topsails  and  courses,  with  jib  and 
spanker.  The  wind  came  in  heavy  blasts,  and  when 
they  struck  the  sails,  the  Young  America  heeled  over, 
until  her  lee  yard-arm  seemed  to  be  dipping  the  waves. 
Huge  billows  came  roaring  down  from  the  windward, 
crowned  with  white  foam,  and  presenting  an  awful 
aspect  in  the  night,  striking  the  ship,  lifting  her  bow 
high  in  the  air,  and  breaking  over  the  rail,  pouring 
tons  of  water  on  the  deck. 

Before  the  whole  crew  had  been  called,  every  open- 
ing in  the  deck  had  been  secured,  and  the  plank  guards 
placed  over  the  glass  in  the  skylights.  Life  lines  had 
been  stretched  along  the  decks,  and  the  swinging 
ports,  through  which  the  water  that  came  over  the 
rail  escaped,  were  crossed  with  whale  line  by  Peaks, 
to  prevent  any  unlucky  boy  from  being  washed 
through,  if  he  happened  to  be  thrown  off  his  feet 
by  a  rush  of  water  to  the  scuppers. 

The  scene  was  wild  and  startling ;  it  was  even  ter- 


YOUNG    AMERICA   AFLOAT,  223 

rible  to  those  who  had  never  seen  anything  of  the  kind 
before,  though  the  old  sailors  regarded  it  quite  as  a 
matter  of  course.  Peaks  had  never  been  known  to  be 
so  jolly  and  excited  since  he  came  on  board.  He  was 
full  of  jokes  and  witty  sayings  ;  he  seemed  to  be  in 
his  element  now,  and  all  his  powers  of  body  and  mind 
were  in  the  keenest  state  of  excitement. 

The  students  were  disposed  to  look  upon  it  as  a 
rough  time,  and  doubtless  some  of  them  thought  the 
ship  was  in  great  peril.  Not  a  few  of  them  pretended 
to  enjoy  the  scene,  and  talked  amazingly  salt,  as 
though  they  had  been  used  to  this  kind  of  thing  all 
their  lives.  Mr.  Lowington  came  on  deck,  when  all 
hands  were  called  ;  and  though,  to  his  experienced  eye, 
there  was  no  danger  while  the  ship  was  well  managed, 
he  was  exceedingly  anxious,  for  it  was  a  time  when 
accidents  were  prone  to  happen,  and  the  loss  of  a  boy 
at  such  an  hour,  would  endanger  the  success  of  his 
great  experiment.  On  deck,  the  students  could  not 
get  overboard  without  the  grossest  carelessness  ;  but  it 
was  perilous  to  send  them  aloft  in  the  gloom  of  the 
howling  tempest.  He  had  hoped  that  he  might  be 
permitted  to  meet  the  onslaught  of  the  first  gale  the 
ship  encountered  in  the  daytime  ;  but  as  the  "  clerk  of 
the  weather"  otherwise  ordained  it,  he  was  compelled 
to  make  the  best  of  the  circumstances. 

Before  the  manoeuvre  of  reefing,  in  the  gale,  was 
begun,  Mr.  Fluxion  was  sent  forward.  Bitts  was 
placed  in  the  fore  rigging,  Peaks  in  the  main,  and 
Leach  in  the  mizzen,  to  see  that  the  young  tars  did  not 
needlessly  expose  themselves,  and  that  they  used  all 


324  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

proper  precautions  to  avoid  an  accident.  All  the  offi- 
cers were  at  their  stations. 

"  Man  the  topsail  clewlines,  and  buntlines,  and  the 
weather  topsail  braces,"  shouted  Haven,  the  first  lieu- 
tenant, who  always  handled  the  ship  when  all  hands 
were  called.  "  Stand  by  the  lee  braces,  bowlines,  and 
halyards." 

The  clewlines  are  ropes  fastened  to  the  corners  of 
the  topsail,  passing  through  blocks  on  the  topsail  yard, 
and  leading  down  to  the  deck  through  the  lubber's 
hole.  They  are  used  in  hauling  the  corners  of  the 
sail  up  when  they  are  to  be  reefed  or  furled. 

The  buntlines  are  two  ropes  attached  to  cringles,  or 
eyes,  in  the  bottom  of  the  sail,  which  are  used  for 
hauling  up  the  middle,  or  bunt,  of  the  topsail. 

The  braces  are  the  ropes  secured  to  the  ends  of  the 
yards,  leading  down  to  the  deck  directly,  or  to  a  mast 
first,  and  thence  below,  by  which  the  yards  and  the 
sails  attached  to  them  are  hauled  round  so  as  to  take 
the  wind.  They  are  distinguished  by  the  terms 
k*  weather"  and  "  lee,"  the  former  being  those  on  the 
side  from  which  the  wind  comes,  the  latter  on  the 
opposite  side.  They  also  have  their  specific  names, 
as  the4'  weather  fore-top-gallant  brace,"  the  u  lee  main 
brace." 

The  bowlines  are  ropes  attached  to  the  leeches  of 
square  sails  to  draw  the  edge  forward,  so  that  they 
may  take  the  w7ind  better.  They  are  fastened  to  the 
bridles,  which  are  loops  like  those  of  a  kite,  two  or 
three  of  them  extending  from  the  side  of  the  sail. 

The  halyards  are  the  ropes  by  which  any  sail  is 
hoisted.      For   square    sails  they  are   secured  to  the 


YOUNG    AMERICA    AFLOAT.  225 

yards,  which,  with   the  exception  of  the   lower  one 
on  each  mast  slide  up  and  down.    - 

"  Clear  away  the  bowlines,"  said  the  first  lieuten- 
ant, when  all  hands  were  reported  ready  for  the 
manoeuvre  which  had  been  ordered. 

At  this  command  the  bowlines  on  the  topsails  and 
courses  were  unfastened. 

"  All  clear,  sir,"  reported  the  officers  from  their 
stations. 

4  Round  in  the  weather  braces,  ease  oft'  the  lee 
braces  !  "  was  the  next  order.  "  Settle  away  the  top- 
sail halyards  !     Clew  down  !  " 

To  round  in  the  weather  braces  was  simply  to  haul 
them  up  as  the  lee  braces  were  slacked,  so  that  the 
yard  was  squared.  As  the  command  was  executed, 
the  sail  was  "  spilled,"  or  the  wind  thrown  out  of  it. 

"  Haul  out  the  reef  tackles  !  Haul  up  the  bunt- 
lines  !  "  continued  the  executive  officer. 

To  reef  a  sail  is  to  tie  up  a  portion  of  it,  so  as  to 
present  less  surface  of  canvas  to  the  force  of  the  wind. 
Topsails  are  reefed  in  the  upper  part ;  a  portion  of 
the  sail  nearest  to  the  yard  from  which  it  is  suspended 
being  rolled  up  and  secured  by  strings  to  the  yard. 
Fo'-e  and  aft  sails,  like  the  spanker,  the  fore  and  main 
spencers,  or  the  mainsail  of  a  schooner,  are  reefed  at 
the  foot,  the  lower  part  being  tied  down  to  the  boom. 

The  topsails  of  the  Young  America  had  three  reef 
bands,  or  strips  of  canvas  sewed  crosswise  over 
them,  in  which  were  the  reef  points,  or  strings  by 
which  the  sail  is  tied  up  when  reefed.  When  the  first 
or  highest  row  of  reef  points  was  used,  the  sail  was 
single   reefed ;    when   the   second   was   used,   it   was 


226  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

double  reefed  ;  and  when  the  third  row  was  used,  H 
was  close  reefed.  On  each  side  of  the  sail,  at  the  end 
of  each  reef  band,  was  a  cringle,  or  eye,  in  which  the 
reef  pendent  was  fastened.  The  reef  tackle  consists 
of  a  rope  passing  from  the  eye,  at  the  end  of  the  reef 
band,  through  a  block  at  the  extremity  of  the  yard, 
thence  to  the  mast,  and  down  to  the  deck.  Hauling 
on  this  rope  draws  the  required  portion  of  the  sail  up 
to  the  yard  in  readiness  to  be  reefed. 

The  reef  tackles  were  hauled  out,  and  the  buntlines 
hauled  up  to  bring  the  sail  where  it  could  be  easily 
handled.  When  the  sail  is  to  be  reefed,  the  seamen 
have  to  "  lay  out "  on  the  yards,  and  tie  up  the  sail. 
To  enable  them  to  do  this  with  safety,  there  are  horses, 
or  foot-ropes,  extending  from  the  slings,  or  middle  of 
the  spar,  to  the  yard-arms.  This  rope  hangs  below 
the  yard,  the  middle  parts  being  supported  by  stirrups. 
When  a  man  is  to  "  lay  out,"  he  throws  his  breast 
across  the  yard  with  his  feet  on  the  horse.  The  man 
at  the  "  weather  earing,"  or  eye  for  the  reef  pendent, 
has  to  sit  astride  the  yard,  and  pull  the  sail  towards 
him. 

The  foot-rope  sometimes  slips  through  the  eyes  in 
the  stirrups  when  only  one  hand  goes  out  upon  it, 
which  does,  or  may,  place  him  in  a  dangerous  posi- 
tion. During  the  preceding  day,  when  the  barometer 
indicated  a  change  of  weather,  Mr.  Lowington  had 
sent  the  old  boatswain  aloft  to  "  mouse  the  horses," 
in  anticipation  of  the  manoeuvre  which  the  boys  were 
now  compelled  to  perform  at  midnight,  in  a  gale  of 
wind.  Mousing  the  horses  was  merely  fastening  the 
foot-ropes  to  the  eyes  of  the  stirrups,  so  that  the}'  could 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  227 

not  slip  through,  and  thus  throw  the  entire  slack  of 
the  horse  under  one  boy,  by  which  he  sank  down  so 
low  that  his  neck  was  even  with  the  spar. 

At  the  foot  of  each  mast  there  is  a  contrivance  for 
securing  ropes,  called  the  fife-rail.  It  is  full  of  belay- 
ing  pins,  to  which  are  secured  the  sheets,  halyards, 
buntlines,  clewlines,  lifts,  braces,  reef  tackle,  and 
other  ropes  leading  down  from  aloft.  Looking  at  the 
mast,  it  seems  to  be  surrounded  by  a  perfect  wilder- 
ness of  ropes,  without  order  or  arrangement,  whose 
uses  no  ordinary  mortal  could  comprehend.  There 
were  other  ropes  leading  down  from  aloft,  which  were 
fastened  at  the  sheer-poles  and  under  the  rail.  Now, 
it  is  necessary  that  every  sailor  should  be  able  to  put 
his  hand  on  the  right  rope  in  the  darkest  night ;  and 
when  the  order  to  haul  out  the  buntlines  was  given 
in  the  gloom  and,  the  gale,  those  to  whom  this  duty 
was  assigned  could  have  closed  their  eyes  and  found 
the  right  lines. 

"  Aloft,  topman ! "  continued  the  first  lieutenant, 
when  the  topsails  were  in  readiness  for  reefing. 

At  this  order  thirty  of  the  young  tars  ran  up  the 
shrouds,  over  the  cat-harpings,  and  up  the  rigging,  till 
they  reached  the  fore,  main,  and  mizzen  topsail  yards. 
Twelve  of  them  were  stationed  on  the  main,  ten  on 
the  fore,  and  eight  on  the  mizzen  topsail  yard.  The 
first,  second,  and  third  midshipmen  were  aloft  to  su- 
perintend the  work,  and  when  the  studding-sail  booms 
had  been  triced  up,  they  gave  the  order  to  lay  out,  and 
take  two  reefs. 

When  the  hands  were  at  their  stations  on  the  yard, 
the  first  lieutenant  ordered  the  quartermaster  to  "  luff 


22S  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

up ; "  that  is,  to  put  the  helm  down  so  as  to  throw  the 
ship  up  into  the  wind  and  spill  the  sail,  or  get  the  wind 
out  of  it,  that  the  young  tars  might  handle  it  with  the 
more  ease. 

The  boys  had  been  frequently  trained  in  the  ma- 
noeuvre which  they  were  now  executing  under  trying 
circumstances,  and  all  of  them  knew  their  duty.  If 
any  one  trembled  as  the  mast  swayed  over  when  the 
ship  rolled,  he  was  afraid  to  mention  the  fact,  or  to 
exhibit  any  signs  of  alarm.  Perhaps  most  of  them 
would  have  been  willing  to  acknowledge  that  it  was 
rather  "  ticklish  "  business  to  lay  out  on  a  topsail  yard 
at  midnight  in  a  gale  of  wind  ;  and  if  their  anxious 
mothers  could  have  seen  the  boys  at  that  moment, 
some  of  them  might  have  fainted,  and  all  wished  them 
in  a  safer  place. 

The  boom  tricing-lines  were  manned  again,  and  the 
studding-sail  booms  restored  to  their  places. 

"Lay  down  from  aloft !  "  shouted  Haven,  when  the 
midshipman  in  charge  aloft  had  reported  the  work 
done  ;  and  he  was  obliged  to  roar  at  the  top  of  his 
lungs  through  the  speaking  trumpet,  in  order  to  be 
heard  above  the  piping  of  the  gale  and  the  dashing 
of  the  sea.  u  Man  the  topsail  halyards  !  stand  by  the 
braces." 

"  All  ready,  sir,"  reported  the  fourth  lieutenant,  after 
the  others. 

"  Hoist  away  the  topsails  !  " 

The  hands  en  deck  walked  away  with  the  halyards, 
until  the  topsails  were  hauled  up  to  a  taut  leech. 

The  same  operation  was  repeated  on  the  fore  and 
main  course ;  the  yards  were  trimmed ;  the  bowlines 


YOUNG    AMERICA    AFLOAT.  229 

attached  and  hauled  out,  and  then  the  ship  was  undel 
double-reefed  topsails  and  courses. 

"  Boatswain,  pipe  down  !  "  said  the  executive  offi- 
cer, when  the  work  was  done. 

But  the  crew  did  not  care  to  pipe  down,  just  then. 
This  was  the  first  time  they  had  ever  seen  a  gale  at 
sea,  and  there  was  something  grand  and  sublime  in 
the  heaving  ocean,  and  the  wild  winds  that  danced 
madly  over  the  white-crested  waves.  It  was  now  af- 
ter midnight,  eight  bells  having  struck  before  the 
courses  were  reefed,  and  the  first  part  of  the  star- 
board watch  were  to  have  the  deck.  Mr.  Lovvington 
insisted  that  all  others  should  go  below  and  turn  in, 
assuring  them  that  they  would  see  enough  of  the  gale 
in  the  morning,  or  as  soon  as  their  quarter  watches 
were  called. 

The  principal  and  Mr.  Fluxion  were  earnest  in  their 
commendation  of  the  behavior  of  the  Young  America. 
She  was  not  only  a  stiff  and  weatherly  ship,  but  she 
behaved  most  admirably,  keeping  well  up  to  the  wind, 
and  minding  her  helm.  The  four  boys  at  the  wheel 
handled  it  with  perfect  ease. 

The  ship  did  not  labor  in  the  gale  as  she  had  before 
the  sails  were  reefed  ;  and  though  she  jumped,  plunged, 
and  rolled,  making  a  terrific  roar  as  she  went  along, 
everything  was  ship-shape  about  her,  and  the  boys 
soon  became  accustomed  to  the  exciting  scene.  She 
was  making  but  little  headway,  but  she  still  kept  within 
three  points  of  her  general  course.  Mr.  Lowington 
remained  on  deck  the  rest  of  the  night,  anxiously 
watching  the  ship  and  her  crew  in  the  trying  experi- 
ence of  the  hour. 
20 


23O  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

Augustus  Pelham,  the  discontented  lieutenant,  "Went 
below  when  his  quarter  watch  was  relieved.  The 
little  incident,  before  all  hands  were  called,  between 
himself  and  the  captain,  had  disturbed  him  more  than 
he  would  have  been  willing  to  acknowledge.  He 
thought  it  was  harsh  of  the  captain  to  say  anything  to 
him,  though  he  had  broken  one  of  the  rules  of  the 
ship ;  and  he  regarded  the  gentle  reproof  he  had 
received  as  a  very  great  indignity. 

He  went  to  his  state  room.  The  ship  was  rolling 
fearfully,  and  he  could  not  stand  up  without  holding 
on  at  the  front  of  his  berth.  Goodwin,  the  third  lieu- 
tenant, who  was  his  room-mate,  had  already  turned 
in  ;  but  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  sleep.  Pelham 
took  a  match  from  his  pocket  and  lighted  the  lamp, 
which  swung  on  gimbals  in  the  room. 

"  What  are  you  doing,  Pelham?"  demanded  Good- 
win. u  It  is  against  the  rule  to  light  a  lamp  after  ten 
o'clock." 

"  I  know  it ;  but  I'm  not  going  to  blunder  round 
here,  and  have  my  brains  knocked  out  in  the  dark," 
growled  Pelham. 

"  Put  the  light  out ;  you  will  get  into  trouble," 
remonstrated  his  room-mate. 

"  I  won't  do  it." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?" 

u  Go  to  sleep,  Goodwin,  and  don't  bother  me." 

"What's  the  matter,  Pelham?  What  ails  you?  I 
never  knew  you  to  think  of  breaking  one  of  the  rules 
before." 

"  I  should  like  to  break  them  all,  as  Moses  did  the 
ten  commandments.     I  have  been  insulted." 


YOUNG  AMERICA  AFLOAT.  23 1 

"Who  insulted  you?" 

"  The  captain." 

"  Gordon?"  asked  Goodwin,  in  astonishment. 

"  Yes." 

"  I  never  knew  him  to  do  such  a  thing  as  that.  I 
think  you  didn't  understand  him  ;  or  he  must  have 
been  excited  by  the  gale." 

"  It  was  before  it  came  on  to  blow  very  hard,"  re- 
plied Pelham,  seating  himself  on  a  stool,  and  bracing 
his  feet  against  the  front  of  the  berth  to  prevent  being 
thrown  down. 

"What  did  he  do?" 

"  He  snubbed  me,  told  me  I  knew  the  rule,  and  was 
as  overbearing  as  though  I  had  been  his  servant,  in- 
stead of  an  officer  of  the  ship." 

"But  what  did  you  do?  He  wouldn't  have  done 
anything  of  the  kind  if  you  hadn't  given  him  some 
provocation." 

"  I  told  the  quartermaster,  when  the  wind  was  head- 
ing off  the  ship,  to  alter  the  course." 

"  Didn't  you  tell  the  captain  beforehand?" 

"  Not  I." 

"  Then  I  don't  blame  him  for  snubbing  you.  What's 
the  use  of  being  captain  if  the  officers  don't  obey  you?  " 

"  If  he  had  anything  to  say  to  me,  he  might  have 
been  a  little  more  gentle  about  it." 

Pelham  neglected  to  say  that  he  was  not  particularly 
gentle  himself. 

"  Put  that  light  out,  Pelham,  for  my  sake,  if  not  for 
your  own,"  said  Goodwin,  when  he  found  that  his 
companion  was  too  much  out  of  sorts  to  be  reasonable. 

"  Neither  for  yours  nor  my  own  will  I  put  it  out,'1 


232  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

replied  Pelham,  as  he  took  a  cigar  from  its  hidihgv 
place,  under  the  lower  berth. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do,  Pelham?"  demanded 
Goodwin,  filled  with  astonishment,  as  he  observed  the 
conduct  of  his  fellow-officer. 

"I'm  going  to  have  a  smoke." 

"  But  you  know  that  smoking  is  positively  prohib> 
ited  either  on  ship  or  shore." 

"  I  haven't  had  a  smoke  since  vacation,"  replied 
Pelham,  as  he  lighted  the  cigar. 

"  See  here,  Pelham  ;  I  won't  stand  this  !  "  exclaimed 
the  third  lieutenant,  rising  up  in  his  bed,  in  which  act 
he  was  nearly  pitched  out  of  his  berth  by  a  heavy  roll 
of  the  ship.     "  The  companion-way  is  closed." 

"  That's  the  very  reason  why  I'm  going  to  smoke," 
replied  the  malcontent,  coolly. 

"  But  I  shall  be  stifled  here." 

"  Can't  help  it." 

"  I  can,"  retorted  Goodwin,  as  he  leaped  out  on  the 
floor. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do? " 

"  I  am  going  to  inform  Mr.  Lowington  what  you 
are  doing." 

"Are  you  such  a  fellow  as  that?"  asked  Pelham, 
indignantly. 

"  I  am,  if  you  are  such  a  fellow  as  to  attempt  to 
stifle  me  with  cigar  smoke  in  my  own  room.  It  would 
make  me  as  sick  as  a  horse  in  five  minutes." 

"  Seasick,  you  mean,"  sneered  Pelham.  "  I'm  go* 
ing  to  have  my  smoke,  if  there  is  a  row  about  it." 

Goodwin  put  on  his  pea-jacket,  and  left  the  room. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  233 


CHAPTER  XV. 

AFTER     THE     GALE. 

ONE  of  the  most  singular  traits  observable  in 
the  character  of  some  boys  is  the  willingness, 
and  even  the  desire,  under  certain  circumstances,  to 
get  into  trouble.  A  young  gentleman,  feeling  that  he 
has  been  slighted,  or  his  merit  overlooked,  permits 
himself  to  fall  into  a  mental  condition  in  which  he 
feels  no  responsibility  for  his  conduct ;  in  which  he 
recklessly  breaks  through  all  regulations,  places  him- 
self in  an  attitude  of  opposition  to  constituted  authority, 
and  seems  to  court  the  heaviest  penalty  which  can  be 
inflicted  upon  him  for  disobedience,  impudence,  and 
rebellion. 

The  fourth  lieutenant  of  the  Young  America  had 
worked  himself  up  to  this  disagreeable  pitch.  He 
was  not  only  disposed  to  assume  an  attitude  of  oppo- 
sition to  the  principal,  who  had  made  the  obnoxious 
regulation  which  was  the  immediate  cause  of  his 
rebellious  condition,  but  to  all  who  supported  his 
authority,  or  willingly  submitted  to  it. 

Smoking  was  a  high  crime  on  board  the  Young 

America  —  not  in  the  relation  of  the  practice  to  the 

ship,   but   to    the    student.     It   was    condemned,    not 

simply  because  it  would  be  offensive  in  the  cabins  and 

20* 


234  OUTWARD   BOUND,    OR 

steerage,  and  on  deck,  but  because  it  was  a  bad  habit 
for  a  boy  to  acquire.  The  adult  forward  officers,  the 
cooks  and  ihe  stewards,  were  allowed  to  smoke  on  the 
forecastle  rt£  certain  prescribed  hours  ;  but  it  was  a 
punishable  offence  for  a  student  to  smoke  at  any  time 
or  in  any  place,  whether  on  board  or  on  shore. 

Goodwin  was  indignant  at  the  conduct  of  his  room- 
mate, for  the  thud  lieutenant  was  not  only  opposed  to 
smoking  on  principle,  but  the  fumes  of  tobacco  were 
intensely  offensive  to  him  ;  and  there  was  no  doubt 
that,  in  the  confined  space  of  the  state  room,  insuffi- 
ciently ventilated,  while  all  the  openings  in  the  deck 
were  closed  during  the  gale,  the  smoke  would  make 
him  "  as  sick  as  a  horse."  He  was  a  noble-minded, 
manly  youth,  and  had  all  a  boy's  detestation  for  tat- 
tling and  tale-bearing.  He  did  not  like  to  go  on  deck 
and  inform  the  piincipal  of  the  conduct  of  Pelham, 
but  he  could  not  submit  to  the  indignity  cast  upon 
him.  He  went  out  into  the  cabin,  and  threw  himself 
upon  the  cushioned  divan,  under  the  stern  ports  of 
the  ship. 

This  would  have  been  a  very  satisfactory  place 
to  sleep  under  ordinary  circumstances ;  but  Goodwin 
had  hardly  secured  a  comfortable  position,  before  the 
heavy  rolling  and  pitching  of  the  vessel  tumbled  him 
off,  and  he  measured  his  length  on  the  cabin  floor —  a 
very  undignified  situation  for  a  third  lieutenant.  lit 
picked  himself  up  in  the  darkness,  and  tried  it  again, 
but  with  no  better  success  than  before.  He  had  fully 
intended  to  go  on  deck  and  inform  the  principal  of  the 
misconduct  of  Pelham,  which  had  driven  him  from 
his  room  ;  but  he  shrank  from  the  task. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  235 

What  Goodwin  was  attempting  to  do  on  the  divan 
many  of  the  officers  were  striving  to  do  in  their  berths, 
though  with  better  success  than  attended  his  efforts. 
It  was  not  an  easy  matter  to  stay  in  the  berths ;  and 
this  done,  the  situation  was  far  from  comfortable. 
Avoiding  the  rude  fall  on  the  one  side,  the  occupant 
was  rolled  over  against  the  partition  on  the  other  side. 
Sleep,  in  anything  more  than  "  cat  naps,"  was  utterly 
impracticable,  for  as  soon  as  the  tired  officer  began 
to  lose  himself  in  slumber,  he  was  thumped  violently 
against  the  pine  boards,  or  was  roused  by  the  fear  of 
being  tumbled  out  of  his  berth. 

Mr.  Lowington  comprehended  the  situation  of  the 
students,  and  when  the  topsails  and  courses  had  been 
reefed,  he  called  up  all  the  stewards,  and  sent  them 
through  the  after  cabin  and  steerage,  to  ascertain  the 
condition  of  the  boys,  and  to  give  them  the  benefit  of 
certain  expedients  known  to  old  voyagers  for  such 
occasions.  Jacobs,  the  steward  of  the  after  cabin, 
entered  to  perform  his  duty.  He  had  no  light,  not 
even  a  lantern  ;  for  fire  is  so  terrible  a  calamity  at  sea, 
that  every  lamp  was  extinguished  by  the  stewards  at 
ten  o'clock,  and  no  light  was  allowed,  except  in  the 
binnacle,  without  the  special  permission  of  the  prin- 
cipal. Even  the  captain  could  not  allow  a  lamp  to  be 
lighted  after  hours. 

Jacobs  went  to  all  the  state  rooms  on  the  port  side 
first,  and  pulled  up  the  berth  sacks  above  the  front  of  the 
<ounks,  so  as  to  form  a  kind  of  wall,  to  keep  the  occu- 
pant from  rolling  out.  A  bundle  of  clothing  was 
placed  on  the  inside  of  the  berth,  and  the  body  was 
thus  wedged  in,  so   as  to   afford  some  relief  to  the 


236  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

unstable  form.  Pelham's  room  was  the  second  one 
on  the  starboard  side,  and  Jacobs  came  to  it  at  last,  in 
his  humane  mission.  He  opened  the  door,  and  started 
back  with  unfeigned  astonishment  to  see  the  lamp 
lighted,  and  the  fourth  lieutenant  puffing  his  cigar  as 
leisurely  as  the  violent  motion  of  the  ship  would 
permit. 

"  Contrary  to  regulation,  sir,"  said  Jacobs,  respect- 
fully, as  he  touched  his  cap  to  the  reckless  officer. 

"  Take  yourself  off,  Jacobs,"  replied  Pelham, 
coarsely  and    rudely. 

"  Yes,  sir." 

Jacobs  did  take  himself  off,  and  hastened  on  deck  to 
inform  Mr.  Lowington  of  the  conduct  of  the  infatuated 
officer. 

The  principal  immediately  presented  himself.  Pel- 
ham  had  fully  believed,  in  his  self-willed  obstinacy,  that 
he  could  look  Mr.  Lowington  full  in  the  face,  and  im- 
pudently defy  him.  He  found  that  he  was  mistaken. 
The  experience  of  Shuffles  in  the  hands  of  the  boat- 
swain and  carpenter  would  intrude  itself  upon  him, 
and  he  quailed  when  the  principal  opened  the  door 
and  gazed  sternly  into  his  face. 

"  Smoking,  Mr.  Pelham?" 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  rebel,  with  an  attempt  to 
be  cool  and  impudent,  which,  however,  was  a  signal 
failure. 

"  You  will  put  out  that  cigar,  and  throw  it  away." 

"  I  will ;  I've  smoked  enough,"  answered  Pelham. 

"  Your  light  is  burning,  contrary  to  regulation." 

"  The  ship  rolls  so,  I  should  break  my  neck  without 
one,"  replied  Pelham,  sourly. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  237 

"  That  is  a  weak  plea  for  a  sailor  to  make.  Mr. 
Pelham,  I  confess  my  surprise  to  find  one  who  has 
done  so  well  engaged  in  acts  of  disobedience." 

The  reckless  officer  could  make  no  reply  ;  if  the 
reproof  had  been  given  in  presence  of  others.,  he  would 
probably  have  retorted,  prompted  by  a  false,  foolish 
pride  to  "  keep  even  "  with  the  principal. 

"  For  smoking,  3^011  will  lose  ten  marks  ;  for  lighting 
your  lamp,  ten  more,"  added  the  principal. 

"  You  might  as  well  send  me  into  the  steerage  at 
once,"  answered  Pelham. 

"  If  either  offence  is  repeated,  that  will  be  done. 
You  will  put  out  your  light  at  once." 

The  fourth  lieutenant  obeyed  the  order  because  he 
did  not  dare  to  disobey  it ;  the  fear  of  the  muscular 
boatswain,  the  irons,  and  the  brig,  rather  than  that  of 
immediate  degradation  to  the  steerage,  operating  upon 
his  mind.  The  principal  went  on  deck  ;  Pelham  turned 
in,  and  was  soon  followed,  without  a  word  of  com- 
ment on  the  events  which  had  just  transpired,  by 
Goodwin. 

The  night  wore  away,  the  gale  increasing  in  fury, 
and  the  rain  pouring  in  torrents.  It  was  a  true  taste 
of  a  seaman's  life  to  those  who  were  on  deck.  At 
daybreak  all  hands  were  called  again,  to  put  the  third 
reef  in  the  topsails.  At  eight  bells  the  courses  were 
furled.  The  gale  continued  to  increase  in  power 
during  the  forenoon,  and  by  noon  a  tremendous  sea 
had  been  stirred  up.  The  ship  rolled  almost  down  to 
her  beam  ends,  and  the  crests  of  the  waves  seemed  to 
be  above  the  level  of  the  main  }rard. 

In  the  popular  exaggerated  language,  "  the  waves 


238  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

ran  mountain  high,"  which  means  from  twenty  to 
forty  feet ;  perhaps,  on  this  occasion,  twenty-five  feet 
from  the  trough  of  the  sea  to  the  crest  of  the  billow. 
Even  this  is  a  great  height  to  be  tossed  up  and  down 
on  the  water ;  and  to  the  boys  of  the  Young  America 
the  effect  was  grand,  if  not  terrific.  The  deck  was 
constantly  flooded  with  water ;  additional  life-lines 
had  been  stretched  across  from  rail  to  rail,  and  every 
precaution  taken  to  insure  the  safety  of  the  crew. 

Study  and  recitation  were  impossible,  and  nothing 
was  attempted  of  this  kind.  The  storm  was  now. 
what  could  justly  be  called  a  heavy  gale,  and  it  was 
no  longer  practicable  to  lay  a  course.  Before  eight 
bells  in  the  forenoon  watch,  the  royal  and  top-gallant 
yards  had  been  sent  down,  and  the  ship  was  laid  to 
under  a  close-reefed  main-topsail,  which  the  nautical 
gentlemen  on  board  regarded  as  the  best  for  the  pecu- 
liar conditions  which  the  Young  America  presented. 

When  a  ship  is  laying  to,  no  attention  is  paid  to 
anything  but  the  safety  of  the  vessel,  the  only  object 
being  to  keep  her  head  up  to  the  sea.  In  the  gale, 
the  Young  America  lay  with  her  port  bow  to  the  wind, 
her  hull  being  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees,  with  a 
line  indicating  the  direction  of  the  wind.  Her  topsail 
yard  was  braced  so  that  it  pointed  directly  to  the 
north-east — the  quarter  from  which  the  gale  blew. 
The  helm  was  put  a-lee  just  enough  to  keep  her  in  the 
position  indicated.  She  made  little  or  no  headway, 
but  rather  drifted  with  the  waves. 

The  young  tars  had  a  hard  forenoon's  work ;  and 
what  was  done  was  accomplished  with  triple  the  labor 
required  in  an  ordinary  sea.     All  hands  were  on  duty 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  239 

during  the.  first  part  of  the  day,  though  there  were  in- 
tervals of  rest,  such  as  they  were,  while  the  boys  had 
to  hold  on  with  both  hands,  and  there  was  no  stable 
abiding-place  for  the  body.  The  ship  rolled  so 
fiercely  that  no  cooking  could  be  done,  and  the  only 
refreshments  were  coffee  and  "  hard  tack." 

"  This  is  a  regular  muzzier,  Pelham,"  said  Shuffles, 
in  the  afternoon,  as  they  were  holding  on  at  the  life- 
lines in  the  waist. 

"  That's  a  fact ;  and  I've  got  about  enough  of  this 
thing." 

u  There  isn't  much  fun  in  it,"  replied  Shuffles,  who 
had  been  watching  for  this  opportunity  to  advance  the 
interests  of  the  "  Chain." 

"  No,  not  a  bit." 

"  It's  better  for  you  officers,  who  don't  have  to  lay 
out  on  the  yards  when  they  jump  under  you  like  a 
mad  horse,  than  for  us." 

"  I  suppose  I  shall  have  a  chance  to  -try  it  next 
term." 

"Why  so?" 

"  I  lost  twenty  marks  last  night.  I  got  mad,  lighted 
the  lamp,  and  smoked  a  cigar  in  my  state  room." 

"  Will  the  loss  of  the  twenty  marks  throw  you 
over?  " 

"  Yes  ;  I'm  a  goner  !  "  added  Pelham,  with  a  smile. 

"  What  made  you  mad?  " 

"  The  captain  snubbed  me  ;  then  Lowington  came 
the  magnificent  over  me.  A  single  slip  throws  a 
fellow  here." 

A  single  slip  in  the  great  world  throws  a  man  or 
woman  ;  and  young  men  and  young  women  should  be 


24O  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

taught  that  "  single  slips "  are  not  to  be  tolerated. 
More  children  are  spoiled  by  weak  indulgence  than 
by  over-severe  discipline.  But  a  boy  had  a  better 
chance  to  recover  from  the  effects  of  his  errors  in  the 
Young  America,  than  men  and  women  have  in  the 
community. 

By  gradual  approaches,  Shuffles  informed  the  fourth 
lieutenant  of  the  object  of  the  "Chain,"  which  Pelharn 
promptly  agreed  to  join,  declaring  that  it  was  just  the 
thing  to  suit  his  case.  He  was  in  a  rebellious  frame 
of  mind ;  and  though  he  could  not  feel  that  the  enter- 
prise would  be  a  complete  success,  it  would  afford  him 
an  opportunity  to  annoy  and  punish  the  principal  for 
his  degrading  and  tyrannical  regulation,  as  the  recreant 
officer  chose  to  regard  it. 

By  the  exercise  of  some  tact,  the  conspirators  found 
a  convenient  place  under  the  top-gallant  forecastle  to 
consider  the  project.  Pelharn  was  duly  "  toggled," 
and  offered  no  objection  to  the  penalty ;  indeed,  he 
only  laughed  at  it. 

"  Suppose  we  get  possession  of  the  ship  —  what 
then?"  asked  Pelharn. 

"  We  will  go  on  a  cruise.  I  understand  that  she 
has  provisions  for  a  six  months'  voyage  on  board.  I'm 
in  favor  of  going  round  Cape  Horn,  and  having  a 
good  time  among  the  islands  of  the  South  Sea." 

Pelharn  laughed  outright  at  this  splendid  scheme. 

u  Round  Cape  Horn  !  "  exclaimed  he. 

"  Yes ;  why  not?  We  should  be  up  with  the  cape 
by  the  first  of  June  ;  rather  a  bad  time,  I  know,  but 
this  ship  would  make  good  weather  of  it,  and  I  don't 
believe  we  should  see  anything  worse  than  this.*' 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  2/J.I 

"  What  will  you  do  with  the  principal  and  the  pro- 
fessors?" asked  Pelham,  lightly. 

"  We  can  run  up  within  ten  or  fifteen  miles  of  Cape 
Sable,  give  them  one  of  the  boats,  and  let  them  go  on 
shore." 

"  Perhaps  they  won't  go." 

"  We  have  ten  fellows  already  in  the  Chain,  who  are 
seventeen  years  old.  If  we  get  half  the  crew,  we  can 
handle  the  other  half,  and  the  professors  with  them." 

"  All  right !  I'm  with  you,  whether  you  succeed  or 
not.  I'm  not  going  to  be  ground  under  Lowington's 
feet,  and  be  snubbed  by  such  fellows  as  Gordon.  If  I 
want  to  smoke  a  cigar,  I'm  going  to  do  it." 

"  Or  take  a  glass  of  wine,"  suggested  Shuffles. 

"  If  there  is  any  on  board." 

"  There  is,  plenty  of  it.  I'll  make  you  a  present  of 
a  bottle,  if  you  wish  it." 

"  Thank  you.  Suppose  we  get  the  ship,  Shuffles, 
who  are  to  be  the  officers  ?  "  asked  Pelham. 

"  We  shall  have  good  fellows  for  officers.  You  will 
be  one,  of  course." 

"  I  suppose  I  am  higher  in  rank  now  than  any  fellow 
wTho  has  joined  the  Chain." 

"  Yes,  that's  a  fact ;  but  we  are  not  going  to  mind 
who  are  officers  now,  or  who  have  been  before.  We 
intend  to  take  the  best  fellows  —  those  who  have  done 
the  most  work  in  making  the  Chain." 

u  Whether  they  are  competent  or  not,"  added 
Pelham. 

"  All  the  fellows  know  how  to  work  a  ship  now, 
except  the  green  hands  that  came  aboard  this  year." 

"  This  is  rather  an  important  matter,  Shuffles,  for 

21 


242  OUTWARD   BOUND,    OR 

everything  depends  upon  the  officers.  For  instance, 
who  will  be  captain?"  asked  Pelham,  with  assumed 
indifference. 

"  I  shall,  of  course,"  replied  Shuffles,  with  becoming 
modesty. 

"  That's  a  settled  matter,  T  suppose." 

"  Yes  ;  without  a  doubt  it  is." 

"  I  may  not  agree  to  that,"  suggested  *iie  new 
convert. 

"  You  have  already  agreed  to  it.  You  have  prom- 
ised to  obey  your  superiors." 

"  But  who  are  my  superiors?  " 

"  I  am  one  of  them." 

"  Who  appointed  you  ?  " 

"  I  appointed  myself.     I  got  up  the  Chain." 

"  I  think  I  have  just  as  much  right  to  that  place  as 
you  have,  Shuffles." 

"  I  don't  see  it !  Do  you  expect  me  to  get  up  this 
thing,  and  then  take  a  subordinate  position  ? "  de- 
manded Shuffles,  indignantly. 

"  Let  the  members  choose  the  captain ;  that's  the 
proper  way." 

"  Perhaps  they  will  choose  neither  one  of  us." 

"  Very  well ;  I  will  agree  to  serve  under  any  fellow 
who  is  fairly  elected." 

"  When  shall  he  be  chosen  ?  "  asked  Shuffles,  who 
was  so  sure  of  a  majority  that  he  was  disposed  to 
adopt  the  suggestion. 

u  When  we  have  thirty  links,  say." 

"  I  will  agree  to  it." 

The  conspirators  separated,  each  to  obtain  recruits 
as  fast  as  he  could.     During  the  latter  part  of  the  day, 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  243 

the  gale  began  to  subside,  and  at  sunset  its  force  was 
broken,  but  the  sea  still  ran  fearfully  high.  The  fore 
course  was  shaken  out,  and  the  ship  filled  away  again, 
plunging  madly  into  the  savage  waves. 

On  Sunday  morning,  the  gale  had  entirely  subsided  ; 
but  the  wind  still  came  from  the  same  quarter,  and  the 
weather  was  cloudy.  The  sea  had  abated  its  fury, 
though  the  billows  still  rolled  high,  and  the  ship  had 
an  ugly  motion.  During  the  night,  the  reefs  had  been 
turned  out  of  the  topsails ;  the  jib,  flying-jib,  and 
spanker  had  been  set,  and  the  Young  America  was 
making  a  course  east-south-east. 

"  Sail  ho  !  "  shouted  one  of  the  crew  on  the  top- 
gallant forecastle,  after  the  forenoon  watch  was  set. 

"  Where  away?  "  demanded  the  officer  of  the  deck. 

"  Over  the  lee  bow,  sir,"  was  the  report  which  came 
through  the  officers  on  duty. 

The  report  created  a  sensation,  as  it  always  does 
When  a  sail  is  seen;  for  one  who  has  not  spent  days 
and  weeks  on  the  broad  expanse  of  waters,  can  form 
only  an  inadequate  idea  of  the  companionship  which 
those  in  one  ship  feel  for  those  in  another,  even  while 
they  are  miles  apart.  Though  the  crew  of  the  Young 
America  had  been  shut  out  from  society  only  about 
three  days,  they  had  already  begun  to  realize  this 
craving  for  association  —  this  desire  to  see  other  peo- 
ple, and  be  conscious  of  their  existence. 

After  the  severe  gale  through  which  they  had  just 
passed,  this  sentiment  was  stronger  than  it  would  have 
been  under  other  circumstances.  The  ocean  had  been 
lashed  into  unwonted  fury  by  the  mad  winds.  A 
fierce  gale  had  been  raging  for  full  twenty-four  hours, 


?./J/J  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

and  the  tempest  was  suggestive  of  what  the  sailor 
dreads  most  —  shipwreck,  with  its  long  train  of  disas- 
ter —  suffering,  privation,  and  death.  It  was  hardly 
possible  that  such  a  terrible  storm  had  swept  the  sea 
without  carrying  down  some  vessels  with  precious 
freights  of  human  life. 

The  Young  America  had  safely  ridden  out  the  gale, 
for  all  that  human  art  could  do  to  make  her  safe  and 
strong  had  been  clone  without  regard  to  expense.  No 
niggardly  owners  had  built  her  of  poor  and  insufficient 
material,  or  sent  her  to  sea  weakly  manned  and  with 
incompetent  officers.  The  ship  was  heavily  manned  ; 
eighteen  or  twenty  men  would  have  been  deemed  a 
sufficient  crew  to  work  her ;  and  though  her  force 
consisted  of  boys,  they  would  average  more  than  two 
thirds  of  the  muscle  and  skill  of  able-bodied  seamen. 

There  were  other  ships  abroad  on  the  vast  ocean, 
which  could  not  compare  with  her  in  strength  and 
appointments,  and  which  had  not  one  third  of  her 
working  power  on  board.  No  ship  can  absolutely 
defy  the  elements,  and  there  is  no  such  thing  as  abso- 
lute safety  in  a  voyage  across  the  ocean ;  but  there  is 
far  less  peril  than  people  who  have  had  no  experience 
generally  suppose.  The  Cunard  steamers  have  been 
running  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  with  the 
loss  of  only  one  ship,  and  no  lives  in  that  one  —  a 
triumphant  result  achieved  by  strong  ships,  with  com- 
petent men  to  manage  them.  Poorly  built  ships, 
short  manned,  with  officers  unfit  for  their  positions, 
constitute  the  harvest  of  destruction  on  the  ocean. 

Mr.  Lowington  believed  that  the  students  of  the 
Academy  Ship  would  be  as  safe  on  board  the  Young 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT. 


24S 


America  as  they  would  on  shore.  He  had  taken  a 
great  deal  of  pains  to  demonstrate  his  theory  to 
parents,  and  though  he  often  failed,  he  often  suc- 
ceeded. The  Young  America  had  just  passed  through 
one  of  the  severest  gales  of  the  year,  and  in  cruising 
for  the  next  three  years,  she  would  hardly  encounter  a 
more  terrific  storm.  She  had  safely  weathered  it ;  the 
boys  had  behaved  splendidly,  and  not  one  of  them  had 
been  lost,  or  even  injured,  by  the  trying  exposure.  The 
principal's  theory  was  thus  far  vindicated, 

The  starboard  watch  piped  to  breakfast,  when  the 
sail  was  discovered,  too  far  off  to  make  her  out.  The 
boys  all  manifested  a  deep  interest  in  the  distant  wan- 
derer on  the  tempestuous  sea,  mingled  with  a  desire 
to  know  how  the  stranger  had  weathered  the  gale. 
Many  of  them  went  up  the  shrouds  into  the  tops,  and 
the  spy-glasses  were  in  great  demand. 

"Do  you  make  her  out,  Captain  Gordon?"  asked 
Mr.  Fluxion,  as  he  came  up  from  his  breakfast,  and 
discovered  the  commander  watching  the  stranger 
through  the  glass. 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  I  can  just  make  her  out  now.  Her  fore- 
mast and  mainmast  have  gone  by  the  board,  and  she 
has  the  ensign,  union  down,  hoisted  at  her  mizzen," 
replied  the  captain,  with  no  little  excitement  in  his 
manner. 

"  Indeed  !  "  exclaimed  the  teacher  of  mathematics, 
as  he  took  the  glass.  "  You  are  right,  Captain  Gordon, 
and  you  had  better  keep  her  away.'* 

"  Shall  I  speak  to  Mr.  Lowington  first,  sir?"  asked 
the  captain. 

"  I  think  there  is  no  need  of  it  in  the  present 
21  * 


246  OUTWARD   BOUND,    OR 

instance.    There  can  be  no  doubt  what  he  will  do  when 
a  ship  is  in  distress." 

"  Mr.  Kendall,  keep  her  away  two  points,"  said  the 
captain  to  the  officer  of  the  deck.  "What  is  the 
ship's  course  now  ?  " 

"  East-south-east,  sir,"  replied  the  second  lieutenant, 
who  had  the  deck. 

"  Make  it  south-east." 

"  South-east,  sir,"  repeated  Kendall.  "  Quartermas- 
ter, keep  her  away  two  points,"  he  added  to  the  petty 
officer  conning  the  wheel. 

"  Two  points,  sir,"  said  Bennington,  the  quarter- 
master. 

"  Make  the  course  south-east." 

"  South-east,  sir." 

After  all  these  repetitions  it  was  not  likely  that  any 
mistake  would  occur ;  and  the  discipline  of  the  ship 
required  every  officer  and  seaman  who  received  a  ma- 
terial order,  especially  in  regard  to  the  helm  or  the 
course,  to  repeat  it,  and  thus  make  sure  that  it  was  not 
misunderstood. 

It  was  Sunday  ;  and  no  study  was  required,  or  work 
performed,  except  the  necessary  ship's  duty.  Morning 
prayers  had  been  said,  as  usual,  and  there  was  to  be 
divine  service  in  the  steerage,  forenoon  and  afternoon, 
for  all  who  could  possibly  attend ;  and  this  rule  ex- 
cepted none  but  the  watch  on  deck.  By  this  system, 
the  quarter  watch  on  duty  in  the  forenoon,  attended 
in  the  afternoon ;  those  who  were  absent  at  morning 
prayers  were  always  present  at  the  evening  devotions ; 
and  blow  high  or  blow  low,  the  brief  matin  and  vesper 
service  were  never  omitted,  for  young  men  in  the  midst 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  247 

of  the  sublimity  and  the  terrors  of  the  ocean  could 
least  afford  to  be  without  the  daily  thought  of  God, 
"  who  plants  his  footsteps  in  the  sea,  and  rides  upon 
the  storm." 

Every  man  and  boy  in  the  ship  was  watching  the 
speck  on  the  watery  waste,  which  the  glass  had  re- 
vealed to  be  a  dismasted,  and  perhaps  sinking  ship. 
The  incident  created  an  intense  interest,  and  was  cal- 
culated to  bring  out  the  finer  feelings  of  the  students. 
They  were  full  of  sympathy  for  her  people,  and  the 
cultivation  of  noble  and  unselfish  sentiments,  which 
the  occasion  had  already  called  forth,  and  was  likely 
to  call  forth  in  a  still  greater  degree,  was  worth  the 
voyage  over  the  ocean ;  for  there  are  impressions  to  be 
awakened  by  such  a  scene  which  can  be  garnered  in 
no  other  field. 


24S  OUTWARD   BOUND,    OR 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE    WRECK    OF   THE    SYLVIA. 

THE  people  in  the  dismasted  ship  had  discovered 
the  Young  America,  as  it  appeared  from  the 
efforts  they  were  using  to  attract  her  attention.  The 
booming  of  a  gun  was  occasionally  heard  from  her, 
but  she  was  yet  too  far  off  to  be  distinctly  seen. 

On  the  forecastle  of  the  Academy  Ship  were  two 
brass  guns,  four-pounders,  intended  solely  for  use  in 
making  signals.  The}'  had  never  been  fired,  even  on 
the  Fourth  of  July,  for  Mr.  Lowington  would  not  en- 
courage their  use  among  the  boys.  On  the  present 
occasion  he  ordered  Peaks,  the  boatswain,  to  fire 
twice,  to  assure  the  ship  in  distress  that  her  signals 
were  heard. 

The  top-gallant  sails  were  set,  and  the  speed  of  the 
ship  increased  as  much  as  possible  ;  but  the  heavy  sea 
was  not  favorable  to  rapid  progress  through  the  water. 
At  four  bells,  when  all  hands  but  the  second  part  of 
the  port  watch  were  piped  to  attend  divine  service  in 
me  steerage,  the  Young  America  was  about  four  miles 
distant  from  the  dismasted  vessel.  She  was  rolling 
and  pitching  heavily,  and  not  making  more  than  two 
or  three  knots  an  hour. 

Notwithstanding  the   impatience  of  the  crew,  and 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  249 

their  desire  to  be  on  deck,  where  they  could  see  the 
wreck,  the  service  on  that  Sunday  forenoon  was  espe- 
cially impressive.  Mr.  Agneau  prayed  earnestly  for 
those  who  were  suffering  by  the  perils  of  the  sea,  and 
that  those  who  should  draw  near  unto  them  in  the 
hour  of  their  danger,  might  be  filled  with  the  love  of 
God  and  of  man,  which  would  inspire  them  to  be  faith- 
ful to  the  duties  of  the  occasion. 

When  the  service  was  ended  the  students  went  on 
deck  again.  The  wreck  could  now  be  distinctly  seen. 
It  was  a  ship  of  five  or  six  hundred  tons,  rolling  help- 
lessly in  the  trough  of  the  sea.  She  was  apparently 
water-logged,  if  not  just  ready  to  go  down.  As  the 
Young  America  approached  her,  her  people  were  seen 
to  be  laboring  at  the  pumps,  and  to  be  baling  her  out 
with  buckets.  It  was  evident  from  the  appearance  of 
the  wreck,  that  it  had  been  kept  afloat  only  by  the 
severest  exertion  on  the  part  of  the  crew. 

"  Mr.  Peaks,  you  will  see  that  the  boats  are  in  order 
for  use,"  said  Mr.  Lowington.  "  We  shall  lower  the 
barge  and  the  gig." 

"  The  barge  and  the  gig,  sir,"  replied  the  boatswain. 

"  Captain  Gordon,"  continued  the  principal,  "  two 
of  your  best  officers  must  be  detailed  for  the  boats." 

"  I  will  send  Mr.  Kendall  in  the  barge,  sir." 

"  Very  well ;  he  is  entirely  reliable.  Whom  will 
you  send  in  the  gig?" 

"  I  am  sorry  Shuffles  is  not  an  officer  now,  for  he 
was  one  of  the  best  we  had  for  such  service,"  added 
the  captain. 

"  Shuffles  is  out  of  the  question,"  replied  Mr.  Low- 
ington. 


250  OUTWARD  BOUND,    OR 

"Mr.  Haven,  then,  in  the  gig." 

"  The  sea  is  very  heavy,  and  the  boats  must  be  han. 
died  with  skill  and  prudence." 

"  The  crews  have  been  practised  in  heavy  seas, 
though  in  nothing  like  this." 

The  barge  and  the  gig  —  called  so  by  courtesy  — 
were  the  two  largest  boats  belonging  to  the  ship,  and 
pulled  eight  oars  each.  They  were  light  and  strong, 
and  had  been  built  with  especial  reference  to  the  use 
for  which  they  were  intended.  They  were  life-boats, 
and  before  the  ship  sailed,  they  had  been  rigged  with 
life-lines  and  floats.  If  they  were  upset  in  a  heavy 
sea,  the  crews  could  save  themselves  by  clinging  to 
the  rope,  buoyed  up  by  the  floats. 

The  Young  America  stood  up  towards  the  wreck, 
intending  to  pass  under  her  stern  as  near  as  it  was 
prudent  to  lay,  the  head  of  the  dismasted  ship  being 
to  the  north-west. 

"  Boatswain,  pipe  all  hands  to  muster,"  said  the 
captain,  prompted  by  Mr.  Lowington,  as  the  ship  ap- 
proached the  wreck. 

"  All  hands  on  deck,  ahoy  !  "  shouted  the  boatswain, 
piping  the  call. 

The  first  lieutenant  took  the  trumpet  from  the  offi- 
cer of  the  deck,  and  the  crew,  all  of  whom  were  on 
deck  when  the  call  was  sounded,  sprang  to  their  mus- 
ter stations. 

"  All  hands,  take  in  courses,"  said  the  executive 
officer  ;  and  those  who  were  stationed  at  the  tacks  and 
sheets,  clew-garnets  and  buntlines,  prepared  to  do 
their  duty  when  the  boatswain  piped  the  call. 

"Man  the  fore  and  main   clew-garnets  and  bunt- 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  2$\ 

lines  !  "  shouted  the  first  lieutenant.  "  Stand  by  tacks 
and  sheets ! " 

The  fore  and  main  sail,  being  tfce  lowest  square 
sails,  are  called  the  courses.  There  is  no  correspond- 
ing sail  on  the  mizzenmast.  The  ropes  by  which  the 
lower  corners  of  these  sails  are  hauled  up  for  furl- 
ing, are  the  clew-garnets  —  the  same  that  are  desig- 
nated clewlines  on  the  topsails. 

The  tacks  and  sheets  are  the  ropes  by  which  the 
courses  are  hauled  down,  and  kept  in  place,  the  tack 
being  on  the  windward  side,  and  the  sheet  on  the  lee- 
Ward. 

"  All  ready,  sir,"  reported  the  lieutenants  forward. 

"  Haul  taut  !  Let  go  tacks  and  sheets  !  Haul 
up !  " 

These  orders  being  promptly  obeyed,  the  courses 
were  hauled  up,  and  the  ship  was  under  topsails  and 
top-gal lant  sails,  jib,  flying-jib,  and  spanker. 

"  Ship,  ahoy  !  "  shouted  the  first  lieutenant  through 
his  trumpet,  as  the  Young  America  rolled  slowly 
along  under  the  stern  of  the  wreck. 

"  Ship,  ahoy  !  "  replied  a  voice  from  the  deck  of  the 
wreck.  "  We  are  in  a  sinking  condition  !  Will  you 
take  us  off?  " 

"  Ay,  ay  !  "  cried  Haven,  with  right  good  will. 

"  You  will  heave  to  the  ship,  Mr.  Haven,"  said  the 
captain,  when  she  had  passed  a  short  distance  beyond 
the  wreck. 

"  Man  the  jib  and  flying-jib  halyards  and  down- 
hauls,"  said  the  first  lieutenant. 

"  All  ready  forward,  sir,"  replied  the  second  lieu- 
tenant, on  the  forecastle. 


252  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OH 

"  Stand  by  the  main-top  bowline  !  Cast  off!  Man 
the  main  braces  !  " 

"  Let  go  the  jib  and  flying-jib  halyards !  Haul 
down  !  "     And  the  jibs  were  taken  in. 

"  Slack  off  the  lee  braces !  Haul  on  the  weather 
braces  !  " 

The  main-topsail  and  top-gallant  were  thus  thrown 
aback,  and  the  Young  America  was  hove  to,  in  order 
to  enable  her  people  to  perform  their  humane  mission. 

"  Stand  by  to  lower  the  barge  and  gig !  "  continued 
Haven. 

"  Mr.  Haven,  you  will  board  the  wreck  in  the  gig," 
said  Captain  Gordon. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  he,  touching  his  cap,  and  hand- 
ing the  trumpet  to  the  second  lieutenant. 

"  Mr.  Kendall,  you  will  take  charge  of  the  barge," 
added  the  captain. 

"  The  barge,  sir,"  answered  Kendall,  passing  the 
trumpet  to  Goodwin,  the  third  lieutenant,  who,  during 
the  absence  of  his  superiors,  was  to  discharge  the  duty 
of  the  executive  officer. 

The  boats  were  cleared  away,  and  every  prepara- 
tion made  for  lowering  them  into  the  water.  This 
was  a  difficult  and  dangerous  manoeuvre  in  the  heavy 
sea  which  was  running  at  the  time.  The  professors' 
barge,  which  was  secured  at  the  davits  on  the  weather 
side  of  the  ship,  was  to  be  lowered  with  her  crew  on 
board,  and  they  took  their  places  on  the  thwarts,  with 
their  hands  to  the  oars  in  readiness  for  action.  The 
principal  had  requested  Mr.  Fluxion  to  go  in  the 
barge  and  Mr.  Peaks  in  the  gig,  not  to  command  the 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  253 

boats,  but  to  give  the  officers  such  suggestions  as  the 
emergency  of  the  occasion  might  require. 

"  All  ready,  sir,"  reported  Ward,  the  coxswain  of 
the  barge,  when  the  oarsmen  were  in  their  places. 

"  Stand  by  the  after  tackle,  Ward,"  said  Haven. 
"  Bowman,  attend  to  the  fore  tackle." 

At  a  favorable  moment,  when  a  great  wave  was 
sinking  down  by  the  ship's  side,  the  Order  was  given 
to  lower  away,  and  in  an  instant  the  barge  struck  the 
water.  Ward  cast  off  the  after  tackle,  and  the  bow- 
man did  the  same  with  the  forward  tackle.  At  the 
moment  the  order  to  lower  was  given,  as  the  wave 
sank  down,  the  ship  rolled  to  windward,  and  the  boat 
struck  the  water  some  eight  feet  from  the  vessel's  side. 

"  Up  oars  !  "  said  the  coxswain,  with  energy. 

"  Lively,  Ward,"  added  the  first  lieutenant. 

"Let  fall!"  continued  the  coxswain,  as  a  billow 
lifted  the  boat,  so  that  those  on  board  could  see  the 
ship's  deck.     "  Give  way  together  !  " 

The  barge,  tossed  like  a  feather  on  the  high  seas, 
gathered  headway,  and  moved  off  towards  the  wreck. 

The  lowering  of  the  barge  had  been  so  successful 
that  the  same  method  was  adopted  with  the  gig ;  but 
as  she  was  under  the  lee  of  the  ship,  there  was  less 
difficulty  in  getting  her  off.  She  pulled  round  the 
ship's  bow,  and  having  made  less  stern  wiy  in  start- 
ing, both  boats  came  up  under  the  counter  of  the 
wreck  at  about  the  same  time.  When  the  barge  and 
gig  reached  the  ship,  a  line  was  thrown  to  each  of 
them  over  the  quarter,  which  the  bowman  caught,  and 
made  fast  to  the  ring. 
22 


254  OUTWARD    BRUND,    OR 

"  Where  is  the  captain  of  the  ship  ?  "  demanded  Mr. 
Haven. 

"  Here,"  shouted  that  officer. 

"  How  many  have  you  aboard?" 

"  Eighteen  !  " 

"  You  must  slide  down  on  a  rope  over  the  stern  ; 
we  can't  go  alongside,"  continued  the  first  lieutenant. 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir !  "  responded  the  captain  of  the  ship. 
"  I  have  two  women  and  two  children  on  board." 

"  You  must  lower  them  in  slings,"  added  Haven, 
prompted  by  Mr.  Fluxion. 

The  people  on  board  the  wreck  went  to  work,  and 
one  of  the  women  was  lowered  into  each  boat  at  the 
same  time.  A  long  loop  was  made  in  the  end  of  the 
rope,  and  the  woman  sat  down  in  the  bight  of  it,  hold' 
ing  on  to  the  line  with  her  hands.  At  a  moment 
when  the  sea  favored  the  movement,  the  boats  were 
hauled  up  close  to  the  ship's  stern,  the  passenger 
caught  by  two  of  the  crew,  and  hauled  on  board.  A 
boy  and  a  girl  were  let  down  in  the  same  manner. 
The  captain,  mates,  and  seamen  came  down  the  rope 
hand  over  hand. 

Each  boat  now  had  nine  passengers,  who  were" 
stowed  in  the  stern  sheets  and  on  the  bottom.  The 
ropes  from  the  ship  were  cast  off,  and  the  oarsmen 
were  ordered  to  give  way.  The  barge  and  the  gig 
rose  and  fell,  now  leaping  up  on  the  huge  billows, 
and  then  plunging  down  deep  into  the  trough  of  the 
sea  ;  but  they  had  been  well  trimmed,  and  though  the 
comb  of  the  sea  occasionally  broke  into  them,  drench- 
ing the  boys  with  spray,  the  return  to  the  Young 
America  was  safely  effected. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  255 

"  How  happens  it  that  you  are  all  boys?"  asked  the 
captain  of  the  wrecked  ship,  who  was  in  Paul  Ken- 
dall's boat. 

"  That's  the  Academy  Ship,"  replied  the  second 
lieutenant. 

"  The  what  ?  "  exclaimed  the  captain. 

"  It  is  the  Young  America.     She  is  a  school  ship." 

"  O,  ay  !  " 

There  was  no  disposition  to  talk  much  in  the 
boats.  The  officers  and  crews  were  fully  employed 
in  keeping  the  barge  and  gig  right  side  up  in  the  tre- 
mendous sea,  and  though  all  hands  were  filled  with 
curiosity  to  know  the  particulars  of  the  wreck,  all 
questions  were  wisely  deferred  until  they  were  on  the 
deck  of  the  ship. 

When  the  gig  came  up  under  the  counter  of  the 
Young  America,  a  line  was  thrown  down  to  the  bow- 
man, who  made  it  fast  to  the  ring.  The  passengers 
were  then  taken  aboard  in  slings  rigged  on  the 
spanker-boom,  which  was  swung  over  the  lee  quarter 
for  the  purpose.  Part  of  the  boat's  crew  were  taken 
on  board  in  the  same  way,  and  then  the  gig  was 
hoisted  up  to  the  davits  with  the  rest  in  her. 

Before  the  barge  was  allowed  to  come  up  under  the 
counter,  the  officer  of  the  deck  wore  ship,  so  as  to 
bring  the  port  quarter,  on  which  the  boat  was  to  be 
suspended,  on  the  lee  side.  Her  passengers  were 
taken  on  deck  as  those  from  the  gig  had  been,  and 
she  was  hoisted  up. 

"  Mr.  Kendall,  I  congratulate  you  upon  the  success 
of  your  labors,"  said  Mr.  Lowington,  when  the  second 
lieutenant   reached   the  deck.     "You   have   handled 


256  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

your  boat  exceedingly  well,  and  you  deserve  a  great 
deal  of  credit." 

"  That's  a  fact,  sir,"  added  Boatswain  Peaks,  touch- 
ing his  cap.  "  I  hardly  spoke  a  word  to  him,  and 
I've  seen  many  a  boat  worse  handled  in  a  sea." 

Paul  blushed  at  the  praise  bestowed  upon  him,  but 
he  was  proud  and  happy  to  have  done  his  duty  faith- 
fully on  this  important  occasion.  The  same  commen- 
dation was  given  to  the  first  lieutenant,  after  the  barge 
had  been  hauled  up  to  the  davits,  and  the  order  given 
for  the  ship  to  fill  away  again. 

The  women  and  children  were  conducted  to  the 
professors'  cabin  as  soon  as  they  came  on  board,  and 
the  seamen  were  taken  into  the  steerage.  All  of  them 
•were  exhausted  by  the  anxiety  and  the  hardships  they 
had  endured,  and  as  soon  as  their  safety  was  insured, 
they  sank  almost  helpless  under  the  pressure  of  their 
physical  weakness. 

"  This  is  a  school  ship,  I'm  told,"  said  Captain 
Greely,  the  master  of  the  shipwrecked  vessel,  who 
had  also  been  invited  to  the  main  cabin. 

u  Yes,  sir  ;  we  call  it  the  Academy  Ship,  and  we 
have  eighty-seven  young  gentlemen  on  board,"  replied 
Mr.  Lowington. 

"  They  are  smart  boys,  sir.  1  never  saw  boats  bet- 
ter handled  than  those  which  brought  us  off  from  the 
ship,"  added  Captain  Greely,  warmly. 

"  Your  voyage  has  come  to  an  unfortunate  conclu- 
sion," said  Mr.  Lowington. 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  I  have  lost  my  ship,  but  I  thank  God 
my  wife  and  children  are  safe,"  answered  the  weather- 
beaten  seaman,  as  he  glanced  at  one  of  the  women, 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  257 

while  the  great  tears  flowed  down  his  sun-browned 
cheeks. 

"  Poor  children  !  "  sighed  Mr.  Agneau,  as  he  patted 
the  little  girl  on  the  head  ;  and  his  own  eyes  were  dim 
with  the  tears  he  shed  fbr  others'  woes. 

Captain  Greely  told  his  story  very  briefly.  His 
ship  was  the  Sylvia,  thirty  days  out  of  Liverpool, 
bound  to  New  York.  She  had  encountered  a  heavy 
gale  a  week  before,  in  which  she  had  badly  sprung 
her  mainmast.  Finding  it  impossible  to  lay  her  to 
under  the  foresail,  they  had  been  compelled  to  set  the 
main-topsail,  reefed  ;  but  even  this  was  too  much  for 
the  weak  mast,  and  it  had  gone  by  the  board,  carrying 
the  second  mate  and  five  men  with  it.  The  Sylvia 
was  old,  and  the  captain  acknowledged  that  she  was 
hardly  sea-worthy.  She  became  unmanageable,  and 
the  foremast  had  been  cut  away  to  ease  off  the  strain 
upon  her.  Her  seams  opened,  and  she  was  making 
more  water  than  could  be  controlled  with  the  pumps. 
For  eighteen  hours,  all  hands,  even  including  the  two 
women,  had  labored  incessantly  at  the  pumps  and 
the  buckets,  to  keep  the  ship  afloat.  They  were 
utterly  worn  out  when  they  discovered  the  Young 
America,  were  on  the  point  of  abandoning  their 
efforts  in  despair,  and  taking  to  the  boats,  in  which 
most  of  them  would  probably  have  perished. 

After  the  boats  started  from  the  Young  America, 
Mr.  Lowington  had  ordered  the  cooks  to  prepare  a 
meal  for  the  people  from  the  wreck ;  and  as  soon  as 
they  came  on  board,  coffee  and  tea,  beefsteaks,  fried 
potatoes,  and  hot  biscuit  were  in  readiness  for  them. 
Tables  were  spread  in  the  main  cabin  and  in  the 
22* 


258  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

steerage,  and  the  exhausted  guests,  providentially  sent 
to  this  bountiful  board,  were  cordially  invited  to  par- 
take. They  had  eaten  nothing  but  hard  bread  since 
the  gale  came  on,  and  they  were  in  condition  to  ap- 
preciate the  substantial  fare  set  before  them. 

By  the  forethought  of  Captain  Greely,  the  clothing 
of  the  women  and  children  had  been  thrown  into  one 
of  the  boats.  The  bundle  was  opened,  and  its  con- 
tents dried  at  the  galley  fire.  The  doctor  and  the 
chaplain  gave  up  their  state  room  to  the  captain,  his 
wife  and  children,  while  Mr.  Lowington  extended  a 
similar  courtesy  to  the  other  woman,  who  was  Mrs. 
Greely's  sister.  Mr.  Fluxion  was  the  first  to  offer  his 
berth  to  the  mate  of  the  Sylvia,  which  was  reluctantly 
accepted  ;  and  all  the  professors  were  zealous  to  sac- 
rifice their  own  comfort  to  the  wants  of  the  wrecked 
visitors. 

In  the  steerage,  every  boy,  without  an  exception, 
wanted  to  give  up  his  berth  to  one  of  the  seamen  from 
the  Sylvia  ;  but  the  privilege  was  claimed  by  the  adult 
forward  officers,  the  cooks,  and  stewards.  The  prin- 
cipal was  finally  obliged  to  decide  between  them  ;  and 
for  obvious  reasons,  he  directed  that  the  guests  should 
occupy  the  quarters  of  the  men,  rather  than  of  the  boys. 
The  people  from  the  Sylvia  needed  rest  and  nourish- 
ment more  than  anything  else.  They  were  warmed, 
and  fed,  and  dried,  and  then  permitted  to  sleep  off  the 
fatigues  of  their  severe  exertion. 

At  three  o'clock,  though  they  had  slept  but  an  hour 
or  two,  most  of  the  shipwrecked  people  appeared  at 
divine  service,  for  this  was  a  privilege  which  they  had 
long  been  denied,  and  it  would  be  strange,  at  such  a 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  2^9 

time,  if  the  hearts  of  those  who  had  been  saved  from 
the  angry  flood  were  not  overflowing  with  gratitude 
to  God  for  his  mercy  to  them.  Mr.  Agneau,  whose 
sensitive  nature  had  been  keenly  touched  by  the  events 
of  the  day,  made  a  proper  use  of  the  occasion,  deliver- 
ing a  very  effective  address  to  the  students  and  to  the 
shipwrecked  voyagers,  who  formed  his  little  congre- 
gation. 

The ,  next  morning  the  wind  came  up  fresh  and 
warm  from  the  southward,  knocking  down  the  heavy 
sea,  and  giving  a  delightful  day  to  those  on  board  the 
ship.  The  passengers  appeared  on  deck,  and  were 
greatly  interested  in  the  Young  America  and  her 
juvenile  crew.  Captain  Greely's  son  and  daughter 
were  little  lions,  of  the  first  class,  among  the  boys. 
All  hands  vied  with  each  other  in  their  efforts  to  do 
something  for  the  guests  of  the  ship,  and  it  really 
seemed  as  though  the  era  of  good  feeling  had  dawned 
upon  them.  Even  Shuffles  and  Pelham  forgot,  for  a 
time,  the  interests  of  the  Chain  League,  and  joined 
with  others  in  petting  the  children  of  the  wreck,  and 
in  laboring  for  the  happiness  of  the  involuntary 
guests. 

On  this  day,  observations  for  latitude  and  longitude 
were  obtained,  and  at  noon  the  ship  was  found  to  be 
in  latitude  420,  37',  5"  N. ;  longitude  640,  39',  52"  W. 
The  position  of  the  ship  was  marked  on  the  chart  by 
the  masters,  in  council  assembled,  and  the  calculations 
made  for  the  course.  Bowditch's  Navigator,  an  in- 
dispensable work  to  the  seaman,  was  consulted  fre- 
quently, both  for  the  rules  and  the  nautical  tables  it 
contains.     The  course,  after  allowing  for  the  variation 


26o  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

of  the  compass,  was  found  to  be  north-east  by  east, 
which,  agreeing  with  the  calculations  of  Mr.  Fluxion, 
was  given  out  to  the  quartermaster  conning  the  wheel. 

The  wind  continued  to  blow  fresh  from  the  south 
and  south-west  during  the  rest  of  the  day  and  the  suc- 
ceeding night ;  and  the  log-slate  showed  ten  and  eleven 
knots  until  midnight,  when  the  wind  hauled  round  to 
the  westward,  and  soon  came  strong  from  that  quarter. 
At  noon  on  Tuesday,  April  5,  the  Young  America 
had  made  two  hundred  and  forty-four  miles  during 
the  preceding  twenty-four  hours,  which  was  the  best 
run  she  had  had  during  the  voyage. 

On  the  afternoon  of  this  day,  a  ship,  bound  to  the 
westward,  was  seen,  and  Captain  Greely  expressed  a 
desire  to  be  put  on  board  of  her,  with  his  family,  as 
he  did  not  wish  to  return  to  the  point  from  which  he 
had  just  come.  The  Young  America  bore  down  upon 
the  sail,  and  spoke  her  at  sundown.  Her  captain  was 
willing  to  take  the  shipwrecked  voyagers  on  board 
his  ship,  which  was  bound  to  New  York,  and  they 
were  transferred  in  the  barge  and  gig.  Captain 
Greely  and  his  party  were  very  grateful  for  the  atten- 
tions they  had  received  ;  and  the  little  boy  and  girl 
almost  rebelled  at  the  idea  of  leaving  their  new  and 
partial  friends. 

As  the  two  ships  were  filling  away,  after  the  trans- 
fer of  the  passengers,  the  seamen  of  the  New  York 
ship,  having  learned  what  the  Young  America  was, 
gave  three  cheers,  and  dipped  her  ensign  in  compli- 
ment to  her.  All  the  young  tars  were  immediately 
ordered  into  the  rigging  by  Captain  Gordon,  and 
"  three  times  three "  were   most  lustily  given.     The 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  26l 

American  flag  at  her  peak  was  lowered  three  times, 
in  reply  to  the  salute  of  the  stranger.  As  the  Academy 
Ship  stood  off  on  her  course,  the  two  children  of  Cap- 
tain Greely  were  seen,  on  the  poop-deck  of  the  other 
vessel,  waving  their  handkerchiefs  ;  and  they  continued 
to  do  so  as  long  as  they  could  be  seen. 

The  departure  of  the  guests  had  a  saddening  effect 
upon  the  crew  of  the  Young  America,  as  they  missed 
the  children  and  the  ladies  very  much  ;  for,  during 
their  presence  on  board,  the  ship  had  assumed  quite  a 
domestic  aspect,  and  all  the  idlers  on  deck  found 
pleasing  companions  in  the  little  boy  and  girl. 

The  limits  of  this  volume  do  not  permit  a  full  detail 
of  the  entire  voyage  across  the  ocean.  Enough  has 
been  given  to  show  the  discipline  of  the  ship,  and  the 
daily  life  of  the  boys  on  board  of  her.  For  the  next 
ten  days  the  weather  was  generally  favorable,  and  she 
laid  her  course  all  the  time.  Some  days  she  made 
two  hundred  miles,  and  others  less  than  one  hundred. 

On  the  sixteenth  day  from  her  departure,  she  was 
in  latitude  510,  4',  28"  N.  ;  longitude  310,  10',  2"  W.  ; 
course,  E.  by  N.  In  going  from  Cape  Race,  the 
southern  point  of  Newfoundland,  to  Cape  Clear,  the 
southern  point  of  Ireland,  the  Young  America  did  not 
lay  a  straight  course,  as  it  would  appear  when  drawn 
on  a  map  or  chart.  La  Rochelle,  on  the  western 
coast  of  France,  and  Cape  Race  are  nearly  on  the 
same  parallel  of  latitude,  and  the  former  is  exactly 
east  of  the  latter.  But  the  parallel  on  which  both 
points  lie  would  not  be  the  shortest  line  between 
them.  A  great  circle,  extending  entirely  around  the 
earth  in  the  broadest  part,  going  through  both,  would 


262  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

not  coincide  with  the  parallel,  but  would  run  to .  the 
north  of  it  a  considerable  distance  at  a  point  half  way 
between  the  two  places,  the  separation  diminishing 
each  way  till  the  great  circle  crosses  the  parallel  at 
Cape  Race  and  La  Rochelle.  The  shortest  course 
between  the  two  points,  therefore,  would  be  the  arc 
of  the  great  circle  lying  between  them.  A  skilful 
navigator  would  find  and  follow  this  track.  This  is 
called  great  circle  sailing. 

The  Young  America  followed  a  great  circle  from 
Cape  Race  to  Cape  Clear.  Off  the  former  point,  her 
course  was  two  points  north  of  east ;  off  the  latter,  it 
was  half  a  point  south  of  east.  On  her  twentieth  day 
out  she  sailed  due  east. 

After  the  excitement  of  the  wreck  and  the  departure 
of  the  passengers,  Shuffles  and  his  confederates  re- 
sumed their  operations  in  the  Chain  League,  assisted 
somewhat  by  a  case  of  discipline  which  occurred  at 
this  time.  When  the  ship  was  sixteen  days  out  the 
Chain  consisted  of  thirty-one  links,  in  the  cabalistic 
language  of  the  conspirators,  and  Shuffles  was  in 
favor  of  striking  the  blow. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT,  263 


CHAPTER   XVII. 


PEAS    AND    BEANS. 


THE  business  of  the  Chain  had  been  managed 
with  extreme  caution  by  the  conspirators,  and 
more  than  ore  third  of  the  crew  had  been  initiated  with- 
out the  knowledge  of  the  principal  and  professors,  or 
of  the  officers  and  seamen  who  were  not  members. 
Pelham  and  Shuffles  ordered  the  affairs  of  the  League, 
and  no  "  link  "  was  allowed  to  approach  an  outsider 
for  the  purpose  of  inducing  him  to  join  without  the 
consent  of  one  of  these  worthies. 

As  the  scheme  progressed,  various  modifications  had 
been  made  in  the  plan  to  adapt  it  to  circumstances, 
the  principal  of  which  was  the  choice  of  two  "  shac- 
kles," who  should  be  deemed  the  officers  of  the 
League  until  a  regular  election  had  taken  place.  By 
this  invention,  Shuffles  and  Pelham  had  been  enabled 
to  compromise  their  differences,  for  they  assumed  the 
newly-created  offices,  and  labored  as  equals  in  the  bad 
cause.  Each  endeavored  to  make  as  many  new 
"  links  "  as  possible,  for  already  the  conspirators  con- 
sisted of  two  factions,  one  of  which  favored  the  elec- 
tion of  Shuffles,  and  the  other  that  of  Pelham,  to  the 
captaincy.     Each,  in  a  measure,  controlled  his  own 


264  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

recruits,  and  was  reasonably  sure  of  their  votes  when, 
the  election  should  be  ordered. 

These  young  gentlemen  were  not  only  plotting  to 
take  the  ship,  but  to  "  take  in "  each  other.  While 
both  worked  for  the  League  as  a  whole,  each  worked 
for  himself  as  an  individual.  Shuffles  was  much  more 
thorough  than  his  rival  in  the  making  of  his  converts. 
He  told  them  the  whole  story,  and  taught  them  to  look 
full  in  the  face  the  extreme  peril  of  the  undertaking. 
He  did  not  conceal  anything  from  them.  On  the 
other  hand,  Pelham  merely  represented  the  project  as 
a  means  of  redressing  the  grievances  of  the  officers 
and  crew ;  of  having  their  money  restored  to  them, 
and  abolishing  certain  portions  of  the  regulations 
which  pressed  hard  upon  those  who  were  disposed  to 
be  unruly. 

Though  the  number  of  "links"  in  the  "Chain" 
has  been  mentioned,  it  was  not  known  to  either  of 
the  rivals.  Each  knew  his  own  peculiar  followers, 
but  he  did  not  know  how  many  the  other  could  mus- 
ter. Though  there  were  signs  and  passwords  by 
which  the  members  could  know  each  other,  there  were 
no  means  by  which  any  one  could  precisely  sum  up 
the  whole  number  of  "  links."  Shuffles  could  count 
thirteen  including  his  rival,  while  Pelham  could  num- 
ber nineteen  without  his  coequal  in  authority.  The 
former  believed  the  list  to  consist  of  about  twenty  four, 
while  the  latter  estimated  it  above  thirty.  With  them 
it  was  a  struggle  for  an  office,  as  well  as  to  redress 
their  fancied  wrongs,  and  they  mutually  deceived  each 
other  in  order  to  obtain  the  advantage. 

"  How  many  do  you  suppose  we  can  muster  now?'* 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  2G5 

asked  Shuffles,  on  the  evening  of  the  eighteenth  day 
out,  as  they  met  in  the  waist,  when  both  were  off  duty. 

"  About  twenty,"  replied  Pelham. 

"  There  are  more  than  that." 

"  Perhaps  there  are." 

"  But  it  is  time  to  stretch  the  Chain,"  added  Shuffles, 
in  a  whisper. 

"  Not  yet." 

"  If  we  are  ever  going  to  do  anything,  we  must 
begin  soon.  We  have  so  many  members  now  that  the 
danger  of  exposure  increases  every  day." 

"  We  can't  do  anything  here.  Besides,  I  am  not  in 
favor  of  having  the  time  or  the  manner  of  accomplish- 
ing the  work  talked  about  among  the  members.  I 
believe  in  one-man  power  in  an  affair  of  this  sort. 
There  should  be  one  head,  who  should  plan  and  com- 
mand ;  all  the  rest  should  obey.  If  every  step  in  the 
thing  must  be  discussed  and  agreed  upon,  we  shall 
never  do  anything.  One  fellow  will  want  it  done  in 
one  way,  and  another  in  some  other  way." 

"  I  think  you  are  more  than  half  right,"  replied 
Shuffles,  who  was  confident  that  he  should  be  the 
person  chosen  to  arrange  the  plans  and  issue  the 
commands. 

"  I  know  I  am  wholly  right,"  added  Pelham,  who 
was  equally  confident  that  he  should  enjoy  the  undi- 
vided sway  of  the  League.  "  If  you  are  chosen  cap- 
tain, I  will  cheerfully  obey  your  orders.  I  go  a  step 
farther  :  whoever  is  elected  captain  should  appoint  his 
own  officers." 

"  I  will  agree  to  that  also,"  replied  the  complaisant 
Shuffles. 

23 


266  OUTWARD   BOUND,    OR 

"  Very  well,  then  ;  the  understanding  is,  that  when 
one  of  us  is  elected  captain,  he  shall  appoint  his  own 
officers,  and  do  all  the  planning  and  all  the  command- 
ing," answered  Pelham. 

"  Exactly  so  ;  we  are  now  in  about  longitude  thirty- 
one,  and  Cork  Harbor  is  in  longitude  eight,  according 
to  Bowditch,  for  I  was  looking  the  matter  up  in  the 
steerage  to-day.  We  have  to  make  about  twenty-three 
degrees  more.  A  degree  of  longitude,  in  latitude  fifty- 
one,  is  thirty-seven  and  three  quarters  miles,  which 
would  make  it  eight  hundred  and  sixty-eight  miles 
more  to  run  in  order  to  reach  Queenstown.  You  see 
I  am  posted,"  said  Shuffles. 

"  I  see  you  are.  By  the  way,  had  you  noticed  that 
Queenstown  is  not  in  the  Navigator,  or  on  the  older 
maps  ?  "  added  Pelham. 

"  Yes  ;  the  place  was  called  the  Cove  of  Cork  until 
1849,  when,  in  honor  of  her  majesty's  visit  to  the  town, 
the  name  was  changed  to  Queenstown." 

"  All  right,"  said  Pelham. 

It  need  not  be  supposed  that  the  distance  to  Queens- 
town and  the  change  in  the  name  of  that  place  had 
anything  to  do  with  the  League.  The  fact  was,  that 
Mr.  Fluxion  had  passed  near  the  conspirators,  and  had 
paused  a  moment  in  the  waist  to  glance  up  at  the  fore- 
top-gallant  sail,  which  wras  not  in  good  trim  ;  and  the 
conversation  had  been  changed  to  suit  the  occasion. 
In  talking  of  the  affairs  of  the  "  Chain,"  it  was  required 
that  one  of  the  party  should  look  forward,  and  the 
other  aft,  if  there  were  two  of  them  ;  and  that  the  third, 
\f  there  were  three,  should  stand  back  to  the  nearest 
rail.      It  was  further  required  that  the  conversation 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  267 

should  not  take  place  in  a  situation  where  it  would  be 
possible  for  any  one  to  overhear  them.  The  lee  side 
of  the  waist,  —  the  midshipman  of  the  watch  always 
being  on  the  weather  side,  —  the  top-gallant  forecastle, 
and  the  tops  were  the  favorite  resorts  of  the  conspira- 
tors. If  any  one  approached,  the  parties  in  conver- 
sation were  instantly  to  change  the  topic,  as  Shuffles 
had  done. 

"  I  think  it  is  about  time  for  the  election  to  take 
place,"  continued  Shuffles,  when  Mr.  Fluxion  had 
gone  aft. 

"  Whenever  you  are  ready,  I  am,"  replied  Pelham. 

"  I  am  ready  now." 

"  So  am  I." 

"  Very  well ;  it  shall  come  off  to-morrow,  say." 

"  To-morrow  it  is,  then." 

"  But  how  shall  it  be  conducted?  "  asked  Shuffles. 

"  That  will  not  be  an  easy  matter.  I  think,  how- 
ever, we  can  hit  upon  some  plan  for  having  it  fairly 
done." 

"  Of  course  the  matter  lies  between  you  and  me," 
added  Shuffles. 

"  To  be  sure." 

"  I  suppose  both  of  us  are  ready  to  abide  the  issue, 
whatever  it  may  be,"  said  Shuffles,  who  was  not  a  little 
fearful  that  his  powerful  rival  would  refuse  to  acknowl- 
edge him  when  he  was  chosen,  as  he  confidently  ex- 
pected to  be. 

"  I  pledge  you  my  word  and  honor,  that  I  will  obey 
you  in  all  things  if  you  are  fairly  elected  captain," 
replied  Pelham,  who  was  equally  sure  of  being  chosen 
himself. 


268  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  Fairly  ?  Who  is  to  decide  whether  it  is  fairly  done 
or  not?"  demanded  Shuffles,  unwilling  to  leave  a  loop- 
hole through  which  his  companion  could  crawl  out 
of  the  bargain. 

'•  When  we  have  agreed  upon  the  means  of  electing 
the  captain,  the  choice  shall  be  final." 

"  Good  !  You  and  I  shall  have  no  difficulty  !  "  ex- 
claimed Shuffles,  rather  astonished  to  find  his  rival  so 
easily  managed,  as  he  regarded  it. 

"  We  will  make  it  a  little  more  binding,  if  you 
choose,"  suggested  Pelham,  who,  the  reader  has 
already  been  assured  by  the  figures  given,  was  com- 
pletely outwitting  the  author  and  inventor  of  the 
Chain   League. 

"  With  all  my  heart !  " 

"  We  will  toggle  each  other  on  this  special  ques- 
tion, if  you  like." 

"  The  stronger  we  make  the  bond  the  better,"  said 
Shuffles.     "  Repeat  after  me." 

"  Not  here,  Shuffles.  There  is  a  steamer  on  our 
weather  bow.  Let's  go  up  into  the  mizzen-top,  and 
have  a  look  at  her  with  a  night  glass." 

Mr.  Haven,  the  first  lieutenant,  who  was  in  charge 
of  the  deck,  permitted  them  to  go  aloft  with  the  glass, 
for  the  officers  were  empowered  to  grant  small  favors. 
On  reaching  the  top,  they  glanced  at  the  steamer,  and 
then  resumed  the  conversation  which  had  been  sus- 
pended on  deck,  it  being  too  dark  for  the  officers 
below  to  see  what  they  were  doing 

u  Now  go  ahead,"  said  Pelham. 

"  Repeat  after  me." 

"  All  ridit." 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  269 

"  I  promise,  without  any  reservation,  to  acknowl- 
edge Shuffles  as  captain,  if  he  is  chosen,  and  faithfully 
to  obey  his  orders,  on  penalty  of  falling  overboard  acci- 
dentally." 

Pelham  repeated  these  words,  and  then  "toggled" 
his  rival  in  the  same  manner. 

u  Now  we  understand  each  other  perfectly,  and 
there  will  be  no  chance  of  dragging  the  anchor,"  said 
Shuffles,  satisfied  that  his  sway  would  be  undisputed. 
"  Let  me  say,  in  addition  to  this,  that  if  I  should  hap- 
pen to  be  chosen,  I  shall  make  you  my  first  officer, 
Pelham. " 

"  And  I  will  make  you  my  first  officer,  if  I  should 
happen  to  be  chosen,"  replied  the  obliging  Pelham. 
"  Of  course  I  don't  expect  to  be  chosen  ;  you  have  had 
the  swing  of  this  affair,  and  you  will  have  all  the 
advantage." 

"No,  I  think  not;  you  are  an  officer  now,  and  you 
have  more  influence  than  I  have,"  added  the  modest 
Shuffles. 

If  both  had  been  laboring  for  the  organization  of 
the  League  on  the  same  terms,  Shuffles  would  certain- 
ly have  the  better  chance  of  an  election  ;  but  Pelham 
had  been  taking  in  members  on  false  pretences,  merely 
representing  to  those  whom  he  approached  that  the 
League  was  an  association  having  for  its  object  the 
redress  of  their  grievances.  To  only  a  few  had  he 
mentioned  the  fact  that  a  regular  mutiny  was  contem- 
plated ;  that  the  ship  was  to  be  taken  out  of  the  hands 
of  the  principal,  and  an  independent  cruise  com- 
menced. He  was  afraid  the  whole  truth  would  be 
more  than  some  of  them  could  bear ;  and  perhaps 
33* 


270  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

he  had  so  little  faith  in  the  extreme  measures  to  be 
carried  out  by  the  League,  that  he  was  unwilling  even 
to  mention  them. 

Those  who  serve  the  evil  one  can  neither  trust  each 
other  nor  trust  their  master. 

The  only  real  confidence  in  each  other  which  can 
exist  among  men  or  boys  must  be  based  on  moral  and 
religious  principle. 

The  man  who  pays  his  debts,  or  who  performs  his 
obligations  to  his  fellow-men,  for  his  reputation's  sake, 
rather  than  from  devotion  to  pure  principle,  will  fail  of 
his  duty  when  he  can  conceal  his  infidelity,  or  when 
his  reputation  will  not  suffer  from  his  acts. 

A  man  or  a  boy  without  principle  is  not  to  be  trust- 
ed out  of  the  line  of  his  own  interest. 

While  Shuffles  and  Pelham  were  pledging  them- 
selves to  a  kind  of  romantic  fidelity,  they  were  plot- 
ting each  against  the  other,  each  being  satisfied  that 
he  had  the  advantage  of  the  other. 

"  Now,  I'm  afraid  the  election  will  give  us  some 
trouble,"  continued  Shuffles.  "  It  will  not  be  an  easy 
matter  to  conduct  it  fairly  —  not  that  any  fellow  means 
to  cheat,  but  it  must  be  conducted  with  so  much 
secrecy  that  we  can't  superintend  the  ballot  properly." 

"  I  know  there  is  all  that  difficulty,  but  I  have 
thought  of  a  method  which  I  believe  will  give  us  a 
fair  election,"  replied  Pelham. 

"  Have  you?     So  have  I." 

"Well,  what  is  your  plan?  If  it  is  better  than 
mine,  I  am  willing  to  adopt  it." 

"  I  was  thinking,  as  you  and  I  are  the  only  candi- 
dates, that  each  of  us  might  be  represented  by  one  side 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  27 1 

of  the  ship.  You  shall  be  port,  and  I  will  be  star- 
board. Then  every  link  in  the  Chain  shall  hand  his 
vote,  on  which  shall  be  written  the  single  word  port  or 
starboard  either  to  you  or  me  ;  and  if  there  are  more 
port  than  starboard,  you  will  be  captain  ;  if  more  star- 
board than  port,  I  shall  be  captain.  How  does  that 
idea  strike  you  ?  " 

"  Pretty  well ;  but  the  fellows  have  all  got  to  write 
their  votes,  and  others  will  want  to  know  what  it 
means.  It  will  set  outsiders  to  thinking,  and  I  don't 
believe  the  plan  is  quite  safe." 

"  Well,  what  is  3-our  method  ?  "  asked  Shuffles,  who 
was  willing  to  acknowledge  the  force  of  his  rival's 
objections. 

"  Perhaps  my  plan  is  as  open  to  objection  as  yours," 
answered  Pelham  ;  "  but  it  will  require  no  writing. 
Each  of  us  shall  get  a  handful  of  beans  and  a  handful 
of  peas.  We  can  easily  obtain  them  when  the  store 
rooms  are  opened.  You  shall  be  beans,  and  I  will  be 
peas." 

"  How  are  you,  Peas?"  said  Shuffles,  laughing  at 
the  idea. 

"  How  are  you,  Beans  ?  "  added  Pelham. 

"  Go  on  with  your  soup." 

"  We  will  give  to  every  fellow  belonging  to  the 
Chain  one  pea  and  one  bean." 

"  I  understand  the  plan  now  ;  but  where  are  the 
fellows  to  deposit  their  vegetable  ballots?" 

"  We  can  have  a  receiver  ;  appoint  some  good  fel- 
low for  the  purpose  —  say,  Greenway,  the  captain  of 
the  forecastle  ;  or  Tom  Ellis,  the  third  master." 

"  Tom  Ellis  \     Does  he  belong:  ?  » 


272  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  Of  course  he  does,"  laughed  Pelham,  who  real- 
ized that  he  had  been  a  little  too  fast  in  betraying  the 
strength  of  his  faction. 

"  I  wouldn't  appoint  an  officer. " 

"Well,  you  mention  some  fellow,"  said  the  politic 
Pelham. 

"  Say  Wilton." 

"  Mention  another." 

"  Lynch." 

"  No  ;  try  again." 

"  Grossbeck." 

"  Very  well ;  I  will  agree  to  him." 

"  But  he  might  make  some  mistake." 

"  If  he  does,  it  will  be  in  your  favor,  I  suppose ; 
for  you  nominated  him,  and,  of  course,  he  will  give 
you  the  benefit  of  any  doubt,"  replied  Pelham. 

"  I  want  a  fellow  who  will  do  it  fairly.  I  don't 
wish  to  get  in  by  any  mistake,"  said  Shuffles,  mag- 
nanimously. 

"  Neither  do  I ;  and  I  don't  think  there  will  be  any 
mistakes." 

"  There  is  a  chance  for  a  great  many.  The  fellows 
may  get  mixed  between  beans  and  peas.  When  they 
come  to  vote,  there  will  be  some  who  don't  know 
beans,"  laughed  Shuffles. 

"  Well,  if  they  don't,  they  will  know  peas,  which 
will  do  just  as  well,"  replied  Pelham. 

"  It  would  not  be  pleasant  for  me  to  have  them 
know  peas,  when  they  ought  to  know  beans." 

"  We  will  give  them  P.  P.  as  a  clew  to  the  whole 
thing." 

"  P.  P.  ?     That  means  P's,  I  suppose." 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  273 

"  It  means  that,  and  more.  P.  for  Pelham,  and  P. 
for  peas.  If  they  get  one  right,  they  can't  very  well 
get  the  other  wrong." 

"  That's  true,"  answered  Shuffles,  silenced,  rather 
than  convinced,  by  the  tactics  of  his  fellow-conspir- 
ator. 

It  was  settled  that  he  who  knew  peas  must  certainly 
"  know  beans." 

"When  shall  the  fellows  vote?"  asked  Shuffles. 

"  After  dinner  to-morrow  afternoon.  Every  fellow 
will  be  off  duty  an  hour  in  the  first  or  second  dog 
watch,"  replied  Pelham,  who  seemed  to  have  an  an- 
swer ready  for  every  question.  "  The  polls  shall  be 
kept  open  till  eight  o'clock.  The  peas  and  .beans 
shall  be  distributed  before  eight  bells  in  the  forenoon 
watch,  so  that  every  fellow  will  be  ready  to  vote." 

"  Where  will  Grossbeck  stand  when  he  receives  the 
ballots?" 

"  He  won't  stand  anywhere  in  particular.  We  will 
see  him  together,  and  give  him  his  instructions.  I 
think  it  will  be  better  for  him  to  walk  about  the  ship, 
and  let  the  fellows  hand  him  the  votes  on  the  sly, 
which  he  must  put  in  his  pocket.  He  shall  count 
them  in  the  presence  of  both  of  us." 

"Suppose  he  should  lose  some  of  them?"  suggest- 
ed Shuffles. 

"  If  he  does,  he  is  as  likely  to  lose  peas  as  beans." 

"  I  don't  want  to  be  chosen  in  any  such  manner  as 
by  the  loss  of  the  votes." 

"  I  can't  see  that  there  is  any  more  danger  of  his 
losing  them  than  there  is  of  his  losing  his  head.  I 
bee  you  are  not  entirely  satisfied  with  the  plan." 


274  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR, 

"  To  tell  you  the  truth,  Pelham,  I  am  not.  There 
is,  at  least,  a  chance  for  mistakes." 

"  I'm  willing  to  do  anything  you  like,  that  will  make 
the  election  a  fairer  one." 

"  I  have  it !  "  exclaimed  Shuffles.  "  We  can  give 
each  fellow  two  peas  and  two  beans,  and  let  him  vote 
twice." 

"  What  good  will  that  do  ?  " 

"  I'll  tell  you.  We  want  another  receiver  ;  then  let 
each  fellow  vote  twice,  giving  a  pea  or  a  bean  to  both 
of  the  receivers.  If  the  two  results  don't  agree,  it 
shall  not  be  an  election." 

"  That's  a  first-rate  idea,  Shuffles,  and  I  go  in  for  it 
with  all  my  might,"  replied  Pelham,  with  so  much 
warmth  that  his  companion  was  put  in  the  best  of 
humor.     "  Who  shall  be  the  other  receiver?  " 

"  Name  some  one,"  said  Shuffles,  generously  con- 
ceding  the  nomination  to  his  confederate. 

"  Perth." 

"  No." 

Shuffles  objected  because  Pelham  had  done  so  when 
he  had  mentioned  two  names. 

"  Richton." 

"  Once  more." 

"  McKeon." 

"  Right.  McKeon  is  an  honest,  careful  fellow," 
added  Shuffles.  "  Now  I  think  there  can  be  no  mis- 
take." 

The  minor  details  of  the  election  were  carefully 
arranged,  and  the  boys  went  below  again.  They  gave 
satisfactory  replies  to  the  first  lieutenant,  who  ques- 
tioned them  in  regard  to  the  steamer  they  had  gone 


YOUNG  AMERICA   AFLOAT.  275 

aloft  to  examine.  Pelham  thought  she  was  a  "  Cu- 
narder,"  but  Shuffles  was  confident  she  belonged  to 
the  Inman  line  ;  and  it  is  quite  certain  neither  of  them 
had  any  opinion  whatever  in  regard  to  her,  except 
that  she  was  going  west ;  for  the  red  light  on  her  port 
side  was  visible. 

On  the  following  day,  Grossbeck  and  McKeon,  the 
receivers  who  had  been  appointed,  were  waited  upon, 
separately,  by  the  two  "  Shackles/'  They  accepted 
the  important  trust  which  was  confided  to  them,  and 
each  was  duly  and  solemnly  admonished  of  the  neces- 
sity of  entire  fairness.  They  were  informed  that  any 
discrepancy  in  the  number  of  ballots  in  the  hands  of 
the  two  receivers  would  cause  the  vote  to  be  rejected ; 
and  they  individually  promised  to  be  both  faithful  and 
careful. 

The  beans  and  the  peas  were  readily  obtained,  and 
Were  distributed  among  the  members  of  the  League, 
with  the  necessary  secrecy.  Some  of  the  independent 
voters  needed  a  little  persuasion  to  induce  them  to 
vote,  when  informed  that  the  choice  was  between  the 
"  Shackles "  only ;  but  they  yielded  the  point,  and 
entered  heartily  into  the  excitement  of  the  event ;  for, 
secret  as  were  the  proceedings,  they  were  attended 
with  no  little  exhilaration  of  feeling. 

The  voting  commenced  in  the  afternoon  watch. 
The  second  part  of  the  starboard  watch,  being  off  duty, 
gave  in  their  peas  and  beans  first.  The  receivers, 
without  even  knowing  all  the  members  of  the  League, 
took  whatever  was  handed  to  them  f*  on  the  sly,'?  and 
looked  as  careless  and  indifferent  as  though  nothing 
was  going  on.      The  only  responsibility  that  rested 


2j6  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

upon  them,  besides  the  general  duty  of  carefulness 
and  fidelity,  was  to  see  that  no  one  voted  twice. 
"  Vote  early  and  vote  often  "  was  not  countenanced  ; 
and  one  receiver  acted  as  a  check  upon  the  other. 

The  election  progressed  so  secretly  that  no  occasion 
for  suspicion  was  given  ;  and  though  the  ballots  were 
deposited  under  the  eyes  of  the  principal  and  the  pro- 
fessors, they  saw  nothing,  and  had  not  the  remotest 
idea  that  anything  wrong  was  in  progress. 

In  the  last  half  of  the  first  dogwatch,  Shuffles  be- 
gan to  be  excited.  He  was  too  much  of  a  politician 
to  be  idle  while  any  voting  was  going  on  ;  and  so  far 
as  his  duty  would  permit,  he  had  watched  the  receiv- 
ers since  the  balloting  commenced.  He  had  seen 
seven  or  eight  vote  of  whose  membership  in  the  Chain 
he  had  no  previous  knowledge.  He  saw  that  Pelham 
had  made  more  initiates  than  he  had  been  willing  to 
acknowledge,  apparently  concealing  the  facts  for  the 
purpose  of  favoring  his  own  election.  He  observed 
that  all  the  officers  of  his  rival's  quarter  watch  voted, 
and  he  was  almost  certain  that  he  had  been  defeated. 

Shuffles  was  angry  and  indignant  when  he  discov- 
ered the  treacherous  shrewdness  of  his  fellow-con- 
spirator j  but  he  had  solemnly  promised  to  abide  the 
result  of  the  election,  and  he  could  not  recede  from 
his  position  without  a  violation  of  the  "  honor  among 
thieves  "  which  is  said  to  exist.  The  poll  would  not 
be  closed  for  half  an  hour ;  and  as  he  had  been  cheat- 
ed, he  deemed  it  quite  right  to  restore  the  equilibrium 
by  a  resort  to  the  same  policy. 

"  Wilton,  I  have  been  cheated,"  said  he,  angrily,  as 
he  met  his  old  crony  in  the  waist. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  277 

"  How  do  you  know  you  have  ?  " 

"  I  know  it.  I  will  explain  by  and  by.  Something 
must  be  done.     I  am  beaten  as  sure  as  you  live." 

"  Well,  I  can't  help  it  if  you  are.  You  and  Pelham 
have  fixed  things  to  suit  yourselves,  and  now  you 
must  fight  it  out  between  you,"  replied  Wilton,  as  he 
turned  on  his  heel,  and  left  the  mighty  mischief-maker 
alone  and  disconcerted. 

"  Where  do  all  these  beans  come  from?  "  said  Paul 
Kendall,  as  he  noticed  the  rejected  ballots  of  the  Pel- 
hainites,  which  they  had  not  even  taken  the  trouble  to 
throw  over  the  rail. 

"  It's  a  new  game  the  fellows  are  playing,"  replied 
Shuffles,  with  apparent  indifference,  as  he  walked  aft 
with  the  second  lieutenant. 

"What's  that?"  asked  Paul,  curiously. 

"  It's  called  '  Don't  know  Beans,'  "  answered  Shuf- 
fles, in  deep  thought.  "  The  fellows  have  a  good  deal 
of  sport  out  of  it  in  the  ofT-time." 

"  '  Don't  know  Beans  !  '  I  never  heard  of  such  a 
game  before.     Tell  me  about  it." 

"You  see  Grossbeck  and  McKeon?" 

"  Yes." 

"Well,  they  are  the  butts,  as  we  call  them.  All 
the  fellows  in  our  watch  have  some  beans,"  added 
Shuffles,  taking  a  handful  of  them  from  his  pocket. 

"What  do  they  do  with  them?" 

"  You  try  it  yourself.     Take  two  of  these  beans." 

Paul  took  them. 

"  Now  you  must  give  one  to  Grossbeck,  and  the 
other  to  McKeon,  without  letting  any  fellow  see  you 
24 


278  OUTWAAR   BOUND,    OR 

do  it.  If  any  fellow  does  see  you  give  it  to  either  of 
them,  he  will  say*  in  a  low  tone,  '  Don't  know  Beans,' 
and  then  the  butt  must  drop  it  on  deck.  When  the 
even  bell  strikes,  Grossbeck  and  McKeon  must  count 
their  beans.  The  one  who  has  the  most  must  appoint 
the  next  two  bean-pots,  or  butts  ;  and  the  one  who  has 
the  smaller  number  must  pick  up  all  the  beans  that 
have  been  dropped  on  the  deck.  There  is  fun  in  it ; 
though,  perhaps,  you  wouldn't  think  so." 

a  I  will  try  it,  at  any  rate." 

Paul  did  try  it,  and  succeeded,  as  all  others  did,  in 
giving  the  beans  to  the  receivers  without  any  one  ut- 
tering the  warning  words.  He  was  rather  pleased 
with  the  game,  so  suddenly  invented,  and  the  two  offi- 
cers of  his  watch  were  induced  to  try  the  experiment. 
Then  Blackburn,  Endicott,  and  Bennington  were  sup- 
plied with  beans  by  Shuffles,  who  instructed  his  audi- 
tors that  not  a  word  must  be  said  about  the  matter  to 
the  "  butts,"  or  to  any  one  in  the  waist.  The  last 
three  were  as  successful  as  the  first  three.  Then 
Thompson  and  Cartwright  were  equally  fortunate. 
Finally,  Captain  Gordon's  attention  was  attracted, 
and  he  descended  so  far  from  his  dignity  as  to  deposit 
the  beans. 

Shuffles  was  satisfied.  He  had  procured  nine  votes, 
and  he  was  confident  that  he  had  thus  defeated  his 
rival.  As  a  matter  of  precaution,  he  directed  McKeon 
to  pick  up  the  beans  scattered  in  the  waist ;  and  the 
"  outsiders  "  who  had  cast  the  nine  votes  believed  that 
he  was  the  unlucky  butt,  who  had  been  beaten  in  the 
game. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  279 

"  The  captain  and  half  the  officers  voted,"  whis- 
pered Grossbeck  at  four  bells. 

"  Certainly ;  that's  all  right.  You  and  McKeon 
will  meet  Pelham  and  me  in  the  waist  at  eight  bells," 
replied  Shuffles,  as  he  went  below. 


280  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  RESULT  OF  THE  BALLOT. 

THE  first  part  of  the  port  watch  went  on  duty  at 
eight  o'clock,  when  the  secret  poll  for  the  choice 
of  a  captain,  under  the  new  order  of  events,  was 
closed.  Shuffles  was  in  this  watch,  but  as  neither  his 
"  trick  at  the  wheel  "  nor  his  turn  on  the  lookout  came 
within  the  first  hour,  he  had  an  opportunity  to  attend 
to  the  important  business  of  the  League.  Pelham  and 
the  two  receivers  of  votes  belonged  in  the  second  part 
of  the  port  watch,  and  there  was  nothing  to  prevent 
them  from  attending  the  conference  which  Shuffles 
had  appointed. 

While  Shuffles  had  been  teaching  the  "outsiders" 
the  game  of  "  Don't  know  Beans,"  Pelham,  as  officer 
of  the  deck,  remained  abaft  the  mizzenmast,  and  had 
failed  to  notice  what  was  taking  place  in  the  waist. 
The  officers  who  were  off  duty,  and  who  had  uncon- 
sciously voted  for  Shuffles,  said  nothing  to  those  in 
charge  of  the  ship.  In  accordance  with  the  require- 
ments of  man-of-war  discipline,  the  weather  side  of 
the  deck  was  given  up  to  the  captain  and  the  officers 
on  duty,  while  all  the  idlers  were  required  to  keep  on 
the  lee  side.  Captain  Gordon  was  a  privileged  person. 
On  the  weather  side,  even  the  denizens  of  the  after 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT-  28 1 

cabin  did  not  presume  to  address  him  on  any  question 
not  connected  with  the  discipline  of  the  ship.  When 
he  went  over  to  the  lee  side,  it  was  understood  that  he 
was  simply  a  student,  and  even  an  ordinary  seaman 
might  speak  to  him  when  he  walked  forward. 

Shuffles  had  explained  the  game  to  the  outsiders 
on  the  lee  side,  out  of  the  hearing  of  the  officer  of 
the  deck ;  and  Pelham,  entirely  satisfied  that  he  was 
already  elected,  did  not  trouble  himself  about  the 
matter. 

If  "  Don't  know  Beans  "  was  not  much  of  a  game, 
it  was  better  than  nothing,  and  Shuffles  soon  found 
that  there  was  danger  of  his  little  scheme  being  ex-, 
posed.  During  the  second  dog  watch,  at  supper  time, 
and  as  other  opportunities  were  presented,  he  told 
Wilton,  Monroe,  Adler,  and  others,  that  the  second 
lieutenant,  seeing  so  many  beans  on  the  deck,  wished 
to  know  where  they  came  from,  and  that,  to  deceive 
him  and  the  rest  of  the  officers,  he  had  invented  the 
game  which  he  described,  and  wished  them  to  play 
while  off  duty  on  deck.  "  Our  fellows"  thought  this 
was  a  good  joke,  and  the  new  pastime  was  soon  under- 
stood throughout  the  ship,  and  u  butts  "  were  appointed 
in  each  quarter  watch  to  play  it  the  next  day. 

"  The  fellows  have  all  voted,  I  suppose,"  said  Pel- 
ham,  when  the  party  had  obtained  a  good  position  for 
the  conference. 

"  The  time  is  out,  whether  they  have  or  not," 
replied  Grossbeck. 

"  All  we  have  to  do  now  is  to  count  the  votes," 
added  Shuffles,  impatiently,  for  he  was  afraid  his  little 
24* 


282  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

trick  would  be  exposed  before  the  result  of  the  ballot 
was  obtained. 

"  Well,  let  us  have  it  counted  at  once,"  said  Pelham, 
who,  having  no  doubt  of  the  result,  had  no  thought  of 
offering  any  objection  to  the  fairness  of  the  election. 

"  We  can't  count  the  votes  here,"  suggested  McKeon. 
"  Some  one  would  see  us,  and  want  to  know  what  we 
were  doing." 

"  I  can't  leave  the  deck ;  I'm  on  duty,"  replied 
Shuffles. 

"  Let  the  receivers  count  it  themselves." 

"  We  ought  to  see  them  do  it." 

"  That  is  not  necessary.  They  don't  know  how 
many  votes  they  have." 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't,"  said  Grossbeck." 

"  Neither  do  I,"  added  McKeon. 

"  I'll  tell  you  how  we  can  manage  it,  without 
exciting  the  attention  of  any  one." 

"  I  will  agree  to  anything  that  is  fair,"  replied 
Shuffles. 

"  Grossbeck  shall  go  forward,  and  McKeon  aft  as 
far  as  the  mainmast,  so  that  each  cannot  know  what 
the  other  is  about.  They  can  count  the  votes  sepa- 
rately, without  being  seen." 

"  I  don't  see  how  we  can,"  said  McKeon. 

"  Can  you  tell  a  pea  from  a  bean  by  the  feeling?" 

"  Of  course  we  can." 

"  Where  did  you  put  the  votes,  Grossbeck?"  asked 
Pelham. 

"  In  my  trousers'  pocket." 

"  So  did  I,"  added  McKeon. 

"  Both  of  you  have  on  your  pea-jackets  now,  and 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  .     '  283 

there  is  a  pocket  on  each  side  of  them.  Take  out  all 
the  peas  first,  and  put  them  in  the  right-hand  pocket 
of  your  pea-jacket;  then  all  the  beans,  and  put  them 
in  the  left-hand  pocket ;  then  count  each." 

"  Some  fellow  may  see  us  counting  them,"  said 
Grossbeck. 

"  You  must  take  care  of  that,"  answered  Pelham. 

"  If  they  do,  it  will  not  make  much  difference. 
Some  of  the  fellows  were  careless,  and  threw  their 
beans  on  the  deck." 

"Did  they?"  laughed  Pelham;  "I  suppose  they 
had  no  use  for  them." 

"  The  second  lieutenant  saw  them,  and  wanted  to 
know  what  they  meant,"  added  Shuffles. 

"  Whew  !  "  exclaimed  Pelham. 

"  I  made  it  all  right,  though  I  was  obliged  to  invent 
a  new  game  to  throw  him  oft'  the  track." 

"  Good  !  "  said  Pelham.  "  But  we  must  go  on  with 
the  counting.  When  you  have  found  the  number  of 
peas  and  of  beans,  you  will  write  the  result  on  a  piece 
of  paper,  each  of  you.  McKeon,  you  will  hand  your 
paper  to  Shuffles,  and,  Grossbeck,  you  will  hand  yours 
to  me.     That's  fair —  isn't  it?  " 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Shuffles. 

"  Then  we  will  put  the  two  papers  together )  if 
they  agree,  the  election  is  made  ;  if  they  do  not  agree, 
We  must  do  it  all  over  again,"  continued  Pelham. 

"  All  right,"  added  Shuffles. 

The  two  receivers  were  sent  away  to  count  the 
Votes.  As  one  went  forward,  and  the  other  aft,  and 
the  two  "  Shackles"  stood  between,  no  communication 
Whatever  could  pass  from  one   to  the  other.     It  was 


284  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

now  quite  dark,  and  most  of  those  off  duty  had 
turned  in,  for  the  students  had  become  so  well  ac- 
customed to  sea  life  that  they  could  sleep  whenever 
their  presence  was  not  required  on  deck. 

"  I  hope  this  thing  will  be  settled  now  once  for  all," 
said  Pelham,-  who  feared  that  some  mistake  might 
defeat  his  hopes. 

"  So  do  I,"  replied  Shuffles,  who  was  disturbed  by 
the  same  dread. 

"Have  you  any  idea  what  the  result  will  be?'* 
asked  Pelham,  who,  in  spite  of  the  mutual  "  tog- 
gling," and  the  mutual  assurances  of  good  faith,  had 
some  doubts  whether  his  rival  would  be  willing  to 
accept  the  result. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,"  replied  Shuffles,  cautiously, 
and  with  the  same  want  of  confidence  which  disturbed 
his  companion.  "  There  is  no  knowing  who  will  be 
governor  till  after  election." 

"  Of  course  not,  but  you  might  have  some  idea  of 
the  way  the  thing  is  going?  " 

"  I  might,  but  what's  the  use  of  talking  when  we 
shall  know  all  about  it  in  ten  or  fifteen  minutes?  " 

"  Of  course  you  have  some  hopes." 

"  To  be  sure  I  have  ;   and  I  suppose  you  have,  too." 

"  Certainly  I  have ;  if  I  hadn't,  I  should  have 
given  the  thing  up  without  the  trouble  and  risk  of 
a  ballot,"  replied  Pelham. 

"  We  both  expect  it,  and  it  follows  that  one  of  us 
must  be  disappointed." 

"  You  know  the  bond." 

"  I  do." 

"  Here  is  my  hand,  Shuffles.     I  pledge  myself  over 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  2S5 

again  to  abide  the  result  of  the  vote,  whether  it  is  for  me 
or  against  me,"  continued  Pelham,  extending  his  hand. 

M  And  here  is  my  hand,  Pelham,  with  the  same 
pledge,  honor  bright,"  replied  Shuffles,  as  he  took  the 
offered  hand. 

"  I  am  tolerably  confident  of  the  result,"  added 
Pelham. 

"  I  am  quite  confident  that  I  shall  be  chosen," 
replied  Shuffles. 

"  Don't  be  too  certain,  my  dear  fellow,"  laughed  the 
fourth  lieutenant.  "  I  have  taken  in  a  great  many 
recruits." 

"I'm  glad  you  have  —  the  more  the  better.  I  have 
also  taken  in  a  good  many.  Pelham,  do  you  know  this 
is  very  shaky  business  ?  " 

"Shaky?" 

"  Yes  —  between  you  and  me,  I  mean.  If  either  of 
us  should  back  down,  the  whole  thing  would  fall  to 
the  ground." 

"  Back  dovyn  !  "  exclaimed  Pelham.  "  Why,  after 
what  has  passed  between  us,  I  consider  it  impossible 
that  either  of  us  should  back  down.  I  am  pledged  ; 
so  are  you  ;  and  if  either  of  us  should  back  down,  I 
hope  he  will  —  fall  overboard  accidentally." 

"  So  do  I,"  replied  Shuffles,  heartily. 

"  My  dear  fellow,  if  you  should  back  out,  I  should 
be  mad  enough  to  help  you  over  the  rail,  some  dark 
evening,  if  I  had  a  good  chance." 

"  I  don't  believe  I  should  feel  any  better-natured  if 
you  should  break  your  agreement.  One  of  us  is 
doomed  to  disappointment.  We  have  tried  to  make 
this  thing  as  fair  as  possible." 


286  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  Certainly  we  have,  and  it  will  be  as  fair  as  any^ 
thing  can  be.     I  am  entirely  satisfied  with  the  voting." 

"  Are  you?" 

"  Of  course  I  am." 

Shuffles  was  very  glad  of  this  acknowledgment  in 
advance  of  the  reception  of  the  result. 

"  But,  after  all,  Pelham,"  said  he,  "  there  may  be  an 
appearance  of  unfairness  in  the  voting,  after  the  result 
is  declared." 

"  There  may  be ;  but  each  of  us  is  pledged  not  to 
claim  anything  on  account  of  such  an  appearance. 
If  the  figures  of  the  two  receivers  agree,  that  is  the 
end  of  the  whole  thing,  and  you  or  I  will  be  the 
captain." 

"  That's  so ;  but  here  comes  McKeon,"  replied 
Shuffles,  as  the  receiver  gave  him  the  paper  on  which 
the  result  of  the  votes  he  had  received  was  written. 

It  was  too  dark  to  see  it,  and  the  rivals  waited,  in 
great  excitement  of  mind,  for  the  appearance  of  Gross- 
beck.  He  came,  and  his  paper  was  handed  to  Pel- 
ham.  The  conditions  of  the  agreement  had  now  all 
been  complied  with,  and  the  two  papers  were  to  be 
placed  side  by  side,  where  both  of  the  candidates 
could  see  them  at  the  same  instant.  It  was  necessary, 
in  the  darkness,  to  obtain  the  use  of  a  light  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  they  decided  to  wait  till  the  midshipman  on 
duty  in  the  waist  went  into  the  steerage  to  make  the 
half-hourly  inspection. 

u  When  one  bell  struck,  the  officer  left  his  post,  and 
the  conspirators  walked  up  to  the  binnacle  in  the 
waist.  By  raising  one  of  the  slides  in  the  side  of  the 
machine,  the  lamp  which  threw  its  light  on  the  fac^ 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  287 

of  the  compass  would  enable  them  to  examine  the 
papers. 

"  Hold  your  paper  by  the  side  of  mine,"  said  Pel- 
ham,  as  he  placed  the  important  document  in  a  posi- 
tion to  receive  the  light  from  the  binnacle  when  the 
slide  should  be  moved. 

"  Open  it,"  replied  Shuffles,  nervously,  as  he  com- 
plied with  the  direction  of  his  rival. 

Pelham  raised  the  slide,  and  the  contents  of  the 
papers  were  read  by  both. 

Peas, 19 

Beans, 22 

The  results  given  in  by  the  two  receivers  were  the 
same,  and  by  the  terms  of  the  bond,  it  was  an  election. 

"  Shut  the  slide,"  said  Shuffles. 

"Who  opened  that  binnacle?"  demanded  the  first 
master,  walking  aft  from  his  station  on  the  forecastle. 

"  I  did,  sir,"  replied  Shuffles,  unwilling  to  permit 
the  fourth  lieutenant  to  answer  the  question.  "  We 
were  looking  at  some  figures  I  had  made." 

The  master,  finding  that  the  fourth  lieutenant  was 
one  of  the  party  gathered  around  the  binnacle,  said  no 
more,  and  returned  to  his  place. 

u  Are  you  satisfied,  Pelham  ? "  asked  Shuffles,  in 
the  softest  of  tones. 

"  I  don't  understand  it,"  answered  the  disappointed 
candidate. 

"  Don't  you?  Well,  you  will  remember  that  neither 
of  us  was  to  raise  any  question  about  the  fairness  of 
the  ballot." 

"  I  don't  say  a  word  about  its  fairness  ;  I  only  said 


288  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

I  did  not  understand  it,"  answered  Pelham,  in  surly 
tones. 

"  I  don't  understand  it  any  better  than  you  do  ;  but 
the  point  just  now  is,  whether  you  acknowledge  me  as 
captain,  or  not." 

"  Of  course  I  do.  When  I  pledge  myself  to  do  a 
thing,  I  always  do  it.     I  hail  you  as  captain." 

"  All  right,"  added  Shuffles.  "  Then  nothing  more 
need  be  said,  You  have  kept  your  bond  like  a  gen- 
tleman, and  I  now  appoint  you  my  first  officer,  as  I 
promised  to  do." 

"  Thank  you,"  replied  Pelham,  in  a  sneering  tone. 

"What's  the  matter,  my  dear  fellow?  Are  you  not 
satisfied?"  demanded  Shuffles. 

M  Entirely  satisfied  with  the  result ;  "  but  he  talked 
like  one  who  was  anything  but  satisfied. 

"  It  was  a  fair  thing  —  wasn't  it?" 

'*  I  suppose  it  was  ;  I  don't  know." 

M  You  speak  as  though  you  were  not  satisfied, 
Pelham." 

u  I  am  not  disposed  to  grumble.  I  only  say  that  I 
don't  understand  it." 

"What  don't  you  understand?"  asked  Shuffles, 
sharply.  "  The  election  was  conducted  on  a  plan 
furnished  by  yourself;  the  receivers  were  of  your  own 
choice ;  the  results  agree  ;  and  I  can't  see,  for  the  life 
of  me,  that  there  is  any  chance  to  find  fault." 

"  I  don't  find  fault.  The  result  perplexes  me, 
because  I  can't  see  through  it." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that?" 

"  I  don't  see  where  your  twenty-two  votes  came 
from." 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  289 

"  And  I  don't  see  where  your  nineteen  came  from," 
retorted  the  successful  candidate. 

"  Thfc,  whole  number  of  votes  was  forty-one,"  added 
Pelham,  who  was  quite  sure  there  was  something 
wrong. 

"  The  long  and  short  of  it  is,  that  there  are  more 
fellows  on  board  that  '  know  beans,'  than  you  thought 
there  were,"  laughed  Shuffles. 

"  Can  you  tell  me  where  the  forty-one  votes  came 
from,  Shuffles  ?  "  demanded  Pelham. 

"  Came  from  the  fellows,  of  course." 

"  It's  no  use  to  snuff  at  it,  my  dear  fellow.  I  do  not 
purpose  to  set  aside  the  election.  I  acknowledge  you 
as  captain.     Can  I  do  any  more?  " 

"  You  can't ;  but  you  seem  disposed  to  do  something 
more." 

"  I  merely  wish  to  inquire  into  this  thing,  and  find 
out  how  we  stand.  Had  you  any  idea  that  forty-one 
fellows  belonged  to  the  Chain  ?  " 

"  I  had  not,"  replied  Shuffles,  honestly.  "  I  was 
never  more  surprised  in  my  life,  than  when  I  saw  Tom 
Ellis  and  Andy  Groom  vote." 

"  That  was  all  right.     Both  of  them  joined." 

"  I  can  tell  you  what  took  me  all  aback,"  interposed 
McKeon,  who,  with  Grossbeck,  had  been  walking 
back  and  forth  in  the  waist. 

"  No  matter  what  took  you  all  aback,"  added  Shuf- 
fles, sharply.  "  The  question  is  settled ;  what's  the 
use  of  raking  up  every  thing  that  may  seem  to  be 
strange  ?  " 

"  What  was  it  that  took  you  aback,  McKeon?  "  de- 
manded Pelham. 

2£ 


2C)Q  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  It  was  when  the  captain  voted,"  replied  the  re- 
ceiver. 

"  The  captain  !  "  exclaimed  Pelham. 

"Yes." 

"  Do  you  mean  Captain  Gordon,  McKeon?  *  asked 
Pelham,  with  intense  surprise. 

"  Of  course  I  do." 

"  All  the  officers  of  the  first  part  of  the  port  watch 
voted,"  added  Grossbeck. 

"  They  did  !  "  exclaimed  Pelham. 

"  Well,  was  it  any  stranger  that  the  officers  of  the 
first  part  of  the  port  watch  voted,  than  it  was  that 
those  of  the  second  part  did  so  ?  "  inquired  Shuffles, 
with  earnestness. 

"  I  think  it  was,"  replied  Pelham,  decidedly. 

"  Paul  Kendall  was  one  of  them,"  said  McKeon. 

"  Paul  Kendall !  Does  any  fellow  suppose  he  has 
joined  the  Chain  ?  "  demanded  the  defeated  candidate. 

"Why  not?" 

"  And  Captain  Gordon?" 

"Why  not?" 

"  How  did  the  captain  vote?  "  asked  Pelham. 

"  No  matter  how  he  voted,"  said  Shuffles,  indig- 
nantly. "  I  protest  against  this  raking  up  of  matters 
which  are  already  settled." 

"  He  voted  beans,"  replied  McKeon,  who,  it  is 
hardly  necessary  to  add,  was  a  Pelham  man. 

"  Then  he  is  one  of  your  friends,  Shuffles,"  contin- 
ued Pelham,  who  was  beginning  to  understand  how 
his  rival  had  been  elected. 

"  I  don't  claim  him." 

"  Did  you  take  the  captain  into  the  Chain,  Shuffles  ?  " 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  29I 

"  I  won't  answer,"  replied  the  captain  elect. 

"  If  Captain  Gordon  and  Paul  Kendall  are  mem- 
bers, I  would  like  to  know  it.  I  am  nrst  officer  of  the 
ship  under  the  new  order  of  things,  and  if  I  command 
Gordon  to  do  anything,  I  mean  that  he  shall  obey  me." 

"  Of  course  you  will  give  him  no  orders  till  we  are 
in  possession  of  the  ship,"  added  Shuffles,  not  a  little 
alarmed. 

u  Weil,  as  Gordon  and  Kendall  are  members  of  the 
Chain  —  of  course  they  are,  or  they  wouldn't  have 
voted  —  we  can  talk  over  the  matter  freely  with  them," 
said  Pelham,  chuckling. 

"  If  you  make  the  signs,  and  they  make  them,  of 
course  you  can,"  replied  Shuffles.  "  No  member  can 
speak  to  another  about  the  business  of  the  Chain  until 
both  of  them  have  proved  that  they  belong,  by  giving 
the  required  signals." 

"  Shuffles,  do  you  suppose  Captain  Gordon  knows 
the  signs  ?  " 

"  How  should  I  know?  I  never  tried  him.  I  don't 
know  why  he  shouldn't  make  them  as  well  as  Tom 
Ellis." 

"  Tom  Ellis  is  all  right.  I  vouch  for  him,  for  I  ad- 
mitted him  myself.  Who  will  vouch  for  the  captain? 
Who  took  him  in  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know." 

"  I  don't ;  but  if  anybody  has  admitted  him,  and  not 
given  him  the  signs,  he  ought  to  be  instructed  in  them. 
Of  course  he  must  have  been  admitted,  or  he  would 
not  have  voted,"  added  Pelham,  sarcastically. 

^  I  have  nothing  more  to  say  about  this  matter," 


292  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

replied  Shuffles,  disgusted  with  the  cavils  of  his  first 
officer. 

"  Nor  I ;  but  I  shall  satisfy  myself  whether  the  cap- 
tain is  a  member  or  not,"  said  Pelham,  decidedly. 

"  Well,  you  must  be  very  cautious  what  you  do." 

"  Certainly  I  shall.  I  will  give  him  the  first  sign  ; 
if  he  don't  answer  it,  I  shall  conclude  he  is  not  a 
member ;  or,  if  he  is,  that  he  has  not  been  properly 
instructed." 

"  Better  not  say  anything  to  him,"  said  Shuffles. 

"  Why  not?     He  voted,  and  it  must  be  all  right." 

"  Don't  you  say  a  word  to  him,  unless  he  proves* 
that  he  is  a  member." 

"  I  think  he  has  proved  that  already  by  voting." 

a  You  know  our  rule." 

"I  do  ;  it  requires  me  to  satisfy  myself  that  the 
person  to  whom  I  speak  is  a  member.  I  am  entirely 
satisfied  now  that  the  captain  and  Paul  Kendall 
belong ;  they  would  not  have  voted  if  they  had  not 
belonged." 

This  was  a  "  clincher,"  and  even  Shuffles  had  not 
wit  enough  to  escape  the  conclusion  of  the  dogmatic 
reasoner.  The  captain  elect  of  the  League  knew  very 
well  that  nine  persons  who  were  not  members  had 
voted  —  that  he  had  secured  his  election  by  a  gross 
fraud.  He  was  afraid  that  Pelham,  disappointed  by 
his  defeat,  would  do  something  to  compromise  the 
enterprise  ;  but  his  own  treachery  had  placed  him  in 
such  a  position  that  he  could  say  nothing  without  ex- 
posing himself. 

"  Of  course  it's  all  right,"  added  Pelham.  "  I  find 
We  have  plenty  of  friends  in  the  after  cabin.     As  soon 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  293 

as  you  have  any  orders  to  give,  Captain  Shuffles,  I  am 
in  a  position  to  execute  them  to  the  best  advantage." 

"  When  I  am  ready,  I  will  give  them  to  you." 

"  It  will  be  an  easy  matter  now  to  obtain  possession 
of  the  ship  ;  in  fact,  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  ordet 
Captain  Gordon  to  turn  the  command  over  to  you. 
He  has  been  '  toggled,'  and  must  obey  his  superiors — • 
of  course  he  has  been  toggled  ;  he  couldn't  have  voted 
if  he  hadn't  been." 

Shuffles  was  terribly  exercised  by  the  repeated  flings 
of  his  disconcerted  rival.  He  was  already  satisfied 
that  the  enterprise  had  come  to  an  end,  unless  Pelham 
could  be  quieted  ;  and  he  was  about  to  propose  a  new 
ballot,  when  he  was  ordered  by  the  quartermaster  on 
duty  to  take  his  trick  at  the  wheel. 

"  What  does  all  this  mean?  "  demanded  Pelham  of 
the  receivers,  when  the  captain-elect  had  gone  to  his 
duty. 

"  I  only  know  that  the  captain  and  all  the  officers  of 
the  first  part  of  the  port  watch  voted,  and  other  fellows 
who  would  no  more  join  this  thing  than  they  would 
jump  overboard,"  replied  McKeon. 

"  How  could  they  vote  —  how  could  the  captain 
vote  —  without  understanding  the  whole  thing?"  de- 
manded Pelham,  perplexed  at  the  inconsistency  of  the 
facts. 

"  I  think  I  know  something  about  it,"  added  Gross- 
beck. 

"What  do  you  know?" 

"  Haven't  you  heard  of  the  new  game?" 

"  What  new  game?" 

"  *  Don't  know  Beans. '" 
25* 


294  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  Shuffles  said  something  about  it,  but  I  did  not 
comprehend  his  meaning." 

Grossbeck  explained  the  game,  whose  history  had 
been  circulated  among  "  our  fellows." 

"  And  this  game  was  played  while  the  voting  was 
going  on?"  said  Pelham,  who  began  to  see  the  trick 
which  his  rival  had  put  upon  him. 

"  I  didn't  know  anything  about  it  till  supper  time," 
answered  Grossbeck. 

"  I  see  it  all,"  continued  Pelham.  "  The  receivers 
were  the  '  butts,'  and  about  a  dozen  fellows  voted  for 
Shuffles,  including  Gordon  and  Kendall,  supposing 
they  were  simply  playing  '  Don't  know  Beans.'  " 

It  did  not  require  a  great  deal  of  penetration  on  the 
part  of  the  fourth  lieutenant  to  comprehend  the  trick 
of  his  rival.  He  was  indignant  and  angry,  and  all  the 
more  so  because  he  had  been  outwitted,  even  while  he 
was  attempting  to  outwit  his  unscrupulous  competitor. 

The  next  day,  the  quarter  watches  off  duty  played 
"  Don't  know  Beans  "  to  their  satisfaction.  It  was 
found,  when  everybody  was  watching  the  "  butts," 
that  very  few  could  deposit  their  beans  without  detec- 
tion. A  few  hours'  trial  of  the  new  pastime  convinced 
all  except  "  our  fellows  "  that  it  was  a  senseless  game, 
and  it  was  speedily  abandoned. 

On  the  nineteenth  day  of  the  voyage,  the  Young 
America  encountered  another  gale,  but  it  was  not 
nearly  so  severe  as  the  one  through  which  she  had 
passed  when  off  Cape  Sable.  The  ship  ran  for  twelve 
hours  under  close-reefed  topsails  ;  but  as  the  gale  came 
from  the  south-west,  she  laid  her  course  during  the 
whole  of  it,  and  behaved  herself  to  the  entire  satisfac- 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  295 

tion  of  all  on  board.  On  the  following  day,  the  wind 
had  hauled  round  to  the  north-west,  and  the  sea  sub- 
sided, so  that  the  ship  went  along  very  comfortably. 

Notwithstanding  his  doubts  of  the  good  faith  of 
Pelham,  who,  however,  nominally  adhered  to  the 
terms  of  the  compact,  Shuffles  arranged  his  plans  for 
the  capture  of  the  ship.  He  had  decided  to  defer  the 
grand  strike  until  the  ship  had  come  up  with  Cape 
Clear,  so  that  the  faculty,  and  all  the  students  who 
would  not  take  a  part  in  the  enterprise,  might  be  put 
on  shore  immediately.  In  the  course  of  three  days, 
the  land  would  probably  be  sighted.  The  rising  was 
to  take  place  in  Pelham's  watch,  the  officers  of  which 
were  members  of  the  League.  All  the  details  had 
been  carefully  arranged,  and  trusty  "  links  "  appointed 
to  perform  the  heavy  work.  As  soon  as  the  "  old 
folks  "  had  been  locked  up  in  the  cabin,  and  the  new 
captain  had  taken  the  command,  the  ship  was  to  be 
headed  for  the  shore.  The  great  event  was  to  come 
off  at  six  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  twenty-third 
or  twenty-fifth  day.  The  ship  would  be  near  the  coast 
for  at  least  a  part  of  two  days.  If  she  was  within  six 
hours'  sail  of  the  land  on  the  twenty-third  day  out, 
when  Pelham  would  have  the  second  part  of  the  first 
dog  watch,  the  rising  was  to  take  place  then  ;  if  not, 
it  was  to  be  deferred  till  the  twenty-fifth  day,  when  the 
watches  were  again  favorable. 

Shuffles  communicated  with  his  discontented  first 
officer  as  often  as  he  could,  and  unfolded  his  plans 
without  reserve.  Pelham  listened,  and,  still  professing 
his  willingness  to  obey  his  superior  officer,  promised 
to  do  all  that  was  required  of  him. 


296  OUTWARD   BOUND,    OR 

"  In  your  watch,  Pelham,  you  will  see  that  the 
helm  is  in  the  hands  of  some  of  our  fellows,"  said 
Shuffles. 

"  Certainly/'  replied  Pelham,  with  more  indiffer- 
ence than  suited  the  enthusiastic  chief  of  the  enter- 
prise. '_'  By  the  way,  Captain  Shuffles,  have  you  laid 
out  any  work  for  Captain  Gordon  to  do  ?  " 

u  What's  the  use  of  talking  to  me  about  him  now 
that  we  are  on  the  very  point  of  accomplishing  oui 
purpose?"  demanded  Shuffles,  with  deep  disgust. 

"  You  can't  deny  that  Gordon  is  an  able  fellow, 
and,  as  a  good  commander,  of  course  you  intend  to 
give  him  some  important  position,"  chuckled  Pelham. 
M  Have  you  appointed  the  rest  of  your  officers  yet?  " 

"  To  be  sure  I  have." 

"  Have  you  given  Gordon  anything?  " 

"  No  !  "  growled  Shuffles. 

"No?  Why,  do  you  think  the  present  captain  of 
the  ship  will  be  content  ta  go  into  the  steerage  under 
the  new  arrangement?" 

"  He  may  go  into  the  steerage  or  go  overboard," 
answered  the  chief,  angrily. 

"  Accidentally,  you  mean." 

"  Pelham,  if  you  intend  to  be  a  traitor,  say  so." 

"II  My  dear  fellow,  I  don't  mean  anything  of  the 
kind.     I  am  as  true  as  the  pole  star." 

"  Have  you  spoken  to  the  captain  about  our  affairs?  ''* 

"  Not  a  word." 

"  Have  you  tried  him  by  the  signs?  " 

"I  have,  and  he  made  no  sign,"  laughed  Pelham, 
who  was  not  much  enamoured  of  the  cabalistic  clap- 
trap of  the  Chain. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  297 

"  Then,  of  course,  he  is  not  a  member." 

"He  must  be;  he  voted,"  replied  Pelham,  mali- 
ciously. 

"  How  many  more  times  will  you  say  that?  " 

"  Perhaps  fifty  ;  perhaps  a  hundred,"  answered  the 
fourth  lieutenant,  coolly.  u  I  shall  say  it  until  you  are 
willing  to  acknowledge  the  trick  you  put  upon  me." 

"What  trick?" 

"  O,  I  know  all  about  it !  Didn't  you  tell  Kendall, 
the  captain,  and  seven  or  eight  others,  how  to  play 
4  Don't  know  Beans '  ?  " 

"  If  I  did,  it  was  to  cheat  them  when  they  wanted 
to  know  what  the  beans  meant." 

"  You  saw  that  the  fellows  threw  away  the  beans, 
instead  of  voting  for  you  with  them,  and  you  invented 
your  game  to  make  the  thing  come  out  right.  No 
matter,  Shuffles ;  I  am  bound  by  the  compact  we 
made,  but  I  shall  persist  in  regarding  Gordon,  Ken- 
dall, Foster,  and  others  as  members.  As  you  made 
them  vote,  you  are  responsible  for  them.     That's  all." 

"  Don't  let  us  quarrel  about  it,  my  dear  fellow," 
said  Shuffles,  in  soft,  insinuating  tones. 

"  By  no  means." 

"  We  will  have  a  new  election,"  suggested  the  chief. 

u  If  we  should,  I'm  afraid  all  the  fellows  would 
want  to  play  '  Don't  know  Beans.'  " 

"  You  shall  conduct  it  any  way  you  please." 

"  If  I  did,  you  would  say  I  cheated  you.  I  agreed 
to  abide  by  the  election,  and  I  shall  do  so.  The  fact 
is,  Shuffles,  you  and  I  are  too  smart  to  play  in  the 
same  game.     I  shall  stick  to  the  bond.     When  you 


298  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

order  me  to  do  anything,  I  shall  do   it,"  replied   Pel- 
ham,  as  he  turned  on  his  heel  and  walked  off. 

He  retreated  into  the  after  cabin,  where  Shuffles 
could  not  follow  him.  At  the  cabin  table,  studying 
/lis  French  lesson,  sat  Paul  Kendall. 


YOUNG  AMERICA  AFLOAT.  299 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


MAN    OVERBOARD ! 


DO  you  know  how  to  play  '  Don't  know  Beans '  ?  " 
asked  Pelham,  as  he  seated  himself  by  the 
side  of  the  second  lieutenant. 

"Yes;  I  know  how  to  play  it,  but  it's  a  stupid 
game.     Shuffles  told  me  how." 

"Did  he,  indeed?" 

"  There  was  some  fun  in  it  the  first  time  I  tried  it ; 
but  the  second  time  was  enough  to  satisfy  me.  I 
don't  think  there  is  any  sense  in  it." 

"  Of  course  there  isn't,  Kendall,"  laughed  Pelham. 
"  It  was  no  game  at  all." 

"What  are  you  laughing  at?" 

"  You  were  sold  on  that  game,"  added  the  con- 
spirator, indulging  in  more  laughter  than  the  occasion 
seemed  to  require. 

"  How  was  I  sold?  I  don't  see  anything  so  very 
funny  about  it." 

"  I  do." 

"  Tell  me  about  it ;  if  there  is  any  joke  I  think  I 
shall  enjoy  it.     You  say  I  was  sold." 

"  You  were  ;  and  so  was  I." 

"  Well,  what  was  it?"  asked  Paul,  impatiently. 


JOO  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  When  you  gave  those  fellows  the  beans  that  day, 
you  were  voting  !  " 

"  Voting  !  Voting  for  what,  or  whom  ?  "  exclaimed 
the  second  lieutenant. 

"  For  Shuffles." 

"  Did  my  vote  count?" 

"  To  be  sure  it  did  ;  and  he  was  elected  to  a  certain 
position  by  your  vote  and  those  of  seven  or  eight 
others  who  did  not  understand  the  trick,"  replied  Pel- 
ham,  laughing  all  the  time. 

"  What  was  the  position  ?  I  don't  understand  what 
you  are  talking  about,  and  therefore  I  can't  appreciate 
the  joke." 

"  I'll  tell  you,  Kendall ;  but  you  must  keep  still 
about  it  for  the  present." 

"  It  looks  to  me,  on  the  face  of  it,  like  a  dishonest 
trick.  It  seems  that  Shuffles  lied  to  us  when  he  made 
us  believe  that  we  were  playing  a  game.  I  like  a 
joke  well  enough,  but  I  don't  believe  in  a  fellow's 
lying  for  the  sake  of  any  fun." 

"  You  are  right,  Kendall.  It  was  not  only  a  dis- 
honest trick,  but  it  was  a  mean  one." 

"  What  was  the  position  ?  "  repeated  Paul. 

"  Some  of  the  fellows  are  going  to  make  Mr.  Low- 
ington  a  present  of  a  silver  pitcher  as  soon  as  we  get 
to  some  port  where  we  can  obtain  one." 

"Why  didn't  you  tell  of  it?"  demanded  Paul.  "  I 
should  like  to  join  in  the  presentation,  for  I  don't  think 
there  is  a  fellow  on  board  who  likes  Mr.  Lowington 
better  than  I  clo." 

"  Yes ;  but,  you  see,  there's  something  peculiar 
about  this  thing.     The  contribution  is  to  be  confined 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  3OI 

to  those  fellows  who  have  been  disciplined  in  one  way 
or  another.  A  good  many  of  us,  you  know,  were 
mad  "when  Mr.  Lowington  took  our  money  away ;  we 
are  satisfied  now  that  he  was  right.  We  made  him 
feel  rather  uncomfortable  by  our  looks  and  actions, 
and  some  of  us  were  positively  impudent  to  him. 
We  purpose  to  show  that  our  feelings  are  all  right." 

"  Precisely  so !  "  replied  Paul,  with  enthusiasm. 
"  That's  splendid  !  Mr.  Lowington  will  appreciate 
the  gift  when  he  sees  the  names  of  the  subscribers." 

"  Certainly  he  will." 

"  But  you  have  no  money,"  laughed  the  second 
lieutenant. 

"  We  have  put  our  names  down  for  ten  shillings 
apiece  —  about  thirty  of  us.  When  we  get  into  port, 
we  shall  tell  Mr.  Lowington  that  we  wish  to  present 
a  silver  pitcher  to  a  gentleman  on  board,  in  token  of 
our  appreciation  of  his  kindness,  &c,  and  ask  him  foi 
half  a  sovereign  each  from  our  funds." 

"  He  will  wish  to  know  who  the  gentleman  is." 

"  We  can  ask  to  be  excused  from  telling  him." 

"  I  can  manage  that  part  of  the  business  for  you. 
Each  of  the  fellows  shall  give  me  an  order  on  the 
principal  for  ten  shillings,  to  be  paid  to  Dr.  Winstock, 
who  will  buy  the  pitcher  for  you,  if  you  like.  He  is 
acquainted  in  Cork.  I  will  give  all  the  orders  to  the 
doctor,  and  he  will  get  the  present  without  saying  a 
word  to  Mr.  Lowington  until  after  the  presentation. 
Then  he  will  have  no  chance  to  object,  on  the  sus- 
picion that  the  gift  is  intended  for  him* — don't  you 
see?" 

Paul  Kendall  entered  into  the  project  with  a  degree 
26 


302  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

of  enthusiasm  which  was  rather  embarrassing  to  the 
conspirator. 

"  The  fellows  have  been  very  secret  about  the 
thing,"  added  Pelham. 

44  They  must  have  been,  or  I  should  have  heard, 
something  about  it,"  replied  Paul,  innocently. 

"  No  one  but  ourselves  has  known  a  thing  about  it 
till  now.  They  have  formed  a  kind  of  secret  society, 
and  know  each  other  by  certain  signs." 

"  But  what  was  the  voting  for?  " 

"  For  orator  of  the  day." 

"  For  the  fellow  who  is  to  present  the  pitcher  anfl[ 
make  the  speech  ?  "  added  Paul. 

"Yes." 

"And  Shuffles  was  chosen?" 

"  Yes,  by  a  trick." 

"  You  mean  that  no  one  but  subscribers  ought  to 
have  voted?" 

"  Precisely  so."  * 

"  It  was  a  mean  trick." 

"  It  was  a  sort  of  practical  joke  upon  me,  I  sup- 
pose." 

"  I  don't  believe  in  practical  jokes  which  need  a  lie 
to  carry  them  through." 

"  Well,  Shuffles  has  the  position,  unless  some  of 
you  fellows  will  help  me  out.  I  wanted  to  make  the 
speech,  and  without  the  nine  votes  which  you  and 
other  outsiders  put  in,  I  should  have  been  chosen." 

"What  can  we  do?" 

"I have  a  right  to  consider  all  the  fellows  that  voted 
as  members  of  the  society.  The  fact  of  their  voting 
mikes  them  members." 


YOUNG   AMERICA  AFLOAT.  303 

"I  don't  know  anything  about  that." 

"  It's  clear  enough  to  me,  and  in  a  talk  I  had  with 
Shuffles  just  now,  he  didn't  pretend  to  deny  the  cor- 
rectness of  my  position." 

"  If  he  agrees,  it  must  be  all  right,"  laughed  Paul. 

"  If  you  had  understood  the  matter,  for  whom  should 
you  have  voted  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know ;  but  after  the  trick  Shuffles  played 
off  upon  you,  I  should  not  vote  for  him." 

"  Very  well ;  then  you  can  change  your  vote." 

"How  shall  I  change  it?" 

"  Go  to  Shuffles  ;  and  the  other  eight  fellows  who 
voted  in  the  dark  must  do  the  same." 

"  What  shall  I  say  to  him  ?  " 

"  You  must  go  to  him  as  a  member  of  the  society, 
and  salute  him  as  such." 

"  I  don't  know  how." 

"  I'll  tell  you.  When  you  meet  him,  scratch  the  tip 
end  of  your  nose  with  the  nail  of  your  second  finger 
on  the  right  hand  ;  in  this  manner,"  continued  Pel- 
ham,  giving  the  first  sign. 

"That's  it  —  is  it?"  said  Paul,  as  he  imitated  the 
action  of  Pelham. 

"  Yes ;  that's  right.  He  will  reply  by  taking  the 
lower  part  of  his  left  ear  between  the  thumb  and  first 
finger  of  the  left  hand  —  so,"  added  Pelham. 

"I  have  it,"  answered  Paul,  as  he  made  the 
motions. 

"  Then  you  will  scratch  your  chin  with  the  thumb 
nail  of  the  left  hand,  and  he  will  reply  by  blowing  his 
nose." 

"  Let's  see  if  I  can  do  all  that,"  laughed  Paul,  very 


304  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

much  amused  at  the  mystic  indications  of  membership 
in  the  secret  association. 

He  made  the  signs  to  Pelham,  who  replied  to  them, 
several  times,  until  he  was  perfect  in  his  part. 

"All  right.     I  will  remember  them,"  said  Paul. 

"  But  you  haven't  got  the  whole  of  it  yet.  When 
you  have  made  the  signs,  and  he  has  answered  them, 
he  will  say,  '/?  that  so?'  with  strong  emphasis  on  the 
first  word." 

uIs  that  so?"  repeated  Paul. 

"  Then  you  will  reply,  '  That  is  so,'  with  the  stress 
on  that" 

"  That  is  so,"  added  Paul. 

"  Then  you  must  place  yourself  so  as  to  look  di- 
rectly forward  or  aft.  If  you  look  forward,  he  must 
look  aft." 

"  I  understand  you." 

"  Now  I  want  to  know  who  the  other  fellows  were 
that  played  '  Don't  know  Beans '  that  day." 

"  Captain  Gordon  was  one." 

"  Will  you  post  him  up  in  what  I  have  told  you?" 

"  I  will,  and  the  other  fellows  who  voted  for  Shuf- 
fles, if  you  say  so." 

"  Thank  you.  I  wish  you  would.  Let  them  all  tell 
him  they  desire  to  change  their  votes  ;  but  have  them 
do  it  one  at  a  time." 

Paul  Kendall  promised  to  do  what  was  required  of 
him  ;  and  in  the  course  of  the  following  forenoon  he 
initiated  "  the  outsiders  who  had  voted  for  Shuffles  " 
in  the  secret  machinery  of  the  supposed  society,  but 
in  fact  of  the  Chain  League.     Being  off'  duty  during 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  305 

the  second  part  of  the  afternoon  watch,  he  encountered 
Shuffles  in  the  lee  side  of  the  waist. 

"  Well,  Shuffles,  we  are  almost  up  with  the  coast 
of  Ireland,"  said  Paul,  as  he  scratched  the  tip  of  his 
nose  with  the  second  finger  of  his  right  hand,  agreea- 
bly to  the  instructions  given  him  tw  Pelham. 

"  Yes  ;  and  I  suppose  by  Saturday,  if  the  wind  holds 
fair,  we  shall  be  off  Cape  Clear,"  replied  the  captain- 
elect,  as  he  took  the  lower  part  of  his  left  ear  between 
the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  the  left  hand. 

Shuffles  did  not  suppose  that  the  second  lieutenant 
was  a  member  of  the  league,  and  pledged  to  assist  in 
the  capture  of  the  ship  :  but  as  he  had  made  the  sign, 
probably  accidentally,  he  replied  to  it. 

"  There  is  a  prospect  of  fair  weather  for  some  days 
to  come,"  continued  Paul,  as  he  scratched  his  chin 
with  his  left  hand,  which  was  the  second  step  towards 
a  recognition  in  the  "  Chain." 

Shuffles  was  duly  and  properly  astonished  at  this 
exhibition  of  intelligence  on  the  part  of  the  officer ; 
and  it  was  now  quite  certain  that  Paul  had  joined  the 
league,  or  that  he  had  obtained  its  tremendous  secrets. 

"  I  hope  it  will  be  good  weather  now  during  the 
rest  of  the  passage,"  added  the  captain-elect,  as  he 
took  his  handkerchief  from  his  breast  pocket  and  blew 
his  nose,  for  he  was  determined  to  satisfy  himself 
whether  or  not  the  second  lieutenant  was  a  member 
of  the  League. 

uIs  that  so?"  demanded  Shuffles. 

"  That  is  so,"  answered  Paul. 

Shuffles  was  almost  overwhelmed  with  astonish- 
26* 


306  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

ment  to  find  that  one  who  Was  a  model  of  fidelity  and 
propriety  had  actually  joined  the  Chain. 

u  Shuffles,  I  voted  for  you  the  other  day,"  added 
Paul. 

*'  I  know  you  did." 

"  I  wish  to  change  my  vote." 

"  Change  it !  "  exclaimed  Shuffles. 

"  Yes  ;  I  voted  in  the  dark.  I  wish  now  to  vote  for 
the  other  candidate." 

"  For  whom?" 

"  For  Pelham,  of  course." 

"  You  are  too  late." 

"  I  think,  under  the  circumstances,  that  my  vote 
ought  to  be  counted  on  the  other  side,  even  if  it 
reverses  the  result,"  said  Paul,  earnestly. 

"  Why  do  you  wish  to  vote  for  Pelham  ?  "  demanded 
Shuffles,  rather  because  he  had  nothing  else  to  say 
than  because  he  was  interested  in  the  anticipated 
reply. 

"  I  don't  think  it  was  quite  fair  for  you  to  obtain 
my  vote  as  you  did." 

"  No  matter  for  that.  Do  you  think  Pelham  would 
make  a  better  captain  than  I  should  ?  " 

"A  better  what?" 
•   "  Do  you  think  he  will  command  the  ship  any  bet 
ter  than  I  shall." 

"  Command  the  ship  !  "  repeated  Paul,  bewildered 
by  this  extraordinary  question.  "  I  wasn't  aware  that 
either  of  you  were  to  command  the  ship." 

Shuffles,  in  his  turn,  was  confounded  when  he 
found  that  the  second  lieutenant  was  a  member  of 
the  "  Chain  "  without  any  knowledge  of  its  objects. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  307 

Though  he  had  used  all  the  precautions  required  by 
the  League,  a  hint  had  unwittingly  been  given  to  Paul, 
Whose  simple  integrity  rendered  him  the  most  dan- 
gerous person  on  board  to  the  interests  of  such  an 
institution  as  the  Chain. 

"  Mr.  Kendall,  may  I  ask  what  you  now  suppose 
you  were  voting  for? "asked  Shuffles,  with  easy  as* 
surance. 

"  For  the  orator  of  the  day,  of  course,"  replied  Paul, 
who  was  too  free  from  wiles  or  arts  to  make  any  use 
of  the  advantage  gained. 

Indeed,  he  was  so  true  himself  that  he  was  not  sus- 
picious of  others ;  and  he  did  not  even  perceive  that 
he  had  obtained  an  advantage. 

"  Exactly  so,"  added  Shuffles ;  "  for  orator  of  the 
day ;  but  we  don't  speak  the  idea  out  loud,  or  call  it 
by  its  proper  name." 

"  What  did  you  mean  by  commanding  the  ship, 
Shuffles?"  laughed  Kendall. 

"  I  meant  orator  of  the  day.  We  keep  this  thing  to 
ourselves,"  added  Shuffles,  who  had  no  idea  what  was 
meant  by  his  companion. 

"  Of  course  ;  I  understand  all  about  that,"  said  Paul, 
knowingly.  u  I  don't  think  I  had  any  right  to  vote  ; 
and  in  my  opinion  the  trick  you  played  on  Pelham 
was  decidedly  wrong." 

"  It  was  merely  a  joke,"  answered  Shuffles. 

"  But  do  you  intend  to  use  the  advantage  you  gained 
by  this  trick  ?  " 

"  Certainly  not." 

•"  I'm  very  glad  of  that." 


308  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  It  was  only  for  the  fun  of  the  thing,"  added  Shuf- 
fles, at  a  venture. 

"  It  may  have  been  funny  ;  but  I  don't  think  it  was 
honest." 

"  I  didn't  intend  to  make  any  use  of  it,"  continued 
Shuffles.  "What  did  Mr.  Pelham  say  to  you,  Mr. 
Kendall  ?" 

"  He  told  me  all  about  it,"  replied  Paul. 

"Did  he,  indeed?" 

"  He  said  that  you,  by  causing  me  to  vote,  had  made 
me  a  member." 

"Just  so." 

Shuffles  did  not  dare  to  say  much,  though  it  was 
evident,  from  the  words  and  the  manner  of  the  second 
lieutenant,  that  Pelham  had  not  yet  betrayed  the  real 
object  of  the  Chain.  If  he  had,  the  captain  elect  was 
satisfied  he  would  have  been  in  irons,  confined  in*  the 
brig,  before  that  time. 

"  I  told  Mr.  Pelham  I  fully  approved  the  purpose, 
and  would  help  him  out  with  it." 

"What  purpose?"  asked  Shuffles,  anxious  to  know 
what  Paul  meant. 

"  Why,  don't  you  know?" 

"  Of  course  I  do  ;  but  I  wish  to  know  precisely 
what  Mr.  Pelham  told  you." 

"  He  will  tell  you  himself,"  laughed  Paul,  as  he 
walked  aft,  in  order  to  afford  the  other  "  outsiders " 
who  had  voted  an  opportunity  to  communicate  with 
Shuffles  ;  for  he  perceived  that  they  were  waiting  their 
turns. 

As  the  second  lieutenant  went  aft,  the  captain  went 
forward  on  the  lee  side  of  the  deck. 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  30^ 

"  Shuffles ! "  called  Captain  Gordon,  as  the  chief 
conspirator  was  going  forward. 

The  captain  elect  turned  and  walked  towards  the 
commander,  and  touched  his  cap  with  becoming 
respect. 

u  What  do  you  think  of  the  weather?"  demanded 
Captain  Gordon,  scratching  the  tip  of  his  nose. 

Paul  had  instructed  the  "  outsiders  "  to  talk  about 
the  weather  while  they  went  through  with  the  mystic 
routine  of  the  signs. 

"  I  think  we  shall  have  good  weather,"  replied 
Shuffles,  who,  though  he  was  confounded  and  amazed 
to  be  saluted  from  this  quarter  with  the  language  of 
the  "  Chain,"  dared  not  refuse  to  give  the  signs,  after 
he  had  done  so  with  the  second  lieutenant. 

"  I  wish  to  change  my  vote  ;  for  I  don't  think  if 
was  fairly  given  before,"  said  the  captain,  when  he 
had  gone  through  all  the  forms  of  the  recognition. 

"  Certainly,  Captain  Gordon,  if  you  desire  to  do  so." 

Fortunately  for  Shuffles,  the  captain  did  not  pro- 
long the  conversation  ;  for  others  were  waiting  an 
opportunity  to  make  themselves  known  to  the  conspin 
ator.  One  after  another,  they  saluted  Shuffles  in  thq 
waist,  inquiring  about  the  weather,  and  making  tlm 
requisite  signs.  The  captain  elect  was  filled  with 
indignation  and  rage  against  Pelham,  who  had  played 
off  this  trick  upon  him  ;  but  he  was  compelled  to  meet 
all  who  came,  and  go  through  the  signs  with  them, 
while  the  "'  outsiders,"  scattered  about  the  deck,  stood 
watching  the  motions  with  intense  delight.  He  would 
fain  have  fled,  but  he  could  not  leave  the  deck ;  and 
he  was   afraid   that  any  impatience,  or  a  refusal  to 


3IO  OUTWARD    BOUND,   OR 

answer  the  signs,  would  involve  him  in  a  worse  diffi- 
culty. 

At  last  the  nine  illegal  voters  had  "  made  themselves 
known,"  and  having  requested  that  their  votes  might 
be  changed,  Shuffles  was  released  from  torture.  He 
was  both  alarmed  and  indignant.  He  had  not  been 
able  to  ascertain  what  was  meant  by  "  the  orator  of 
the  day  ;  "  and  he  began  to  fear  that  Pelham  had  ex- 
posed the  whole,  or  a  part,  of  the  real  purposes  of 
the  League.  He  was  enraged  that  he  had  revealed 
anything.  Even  the  captain  and  the  second  lieutenant 
had  made  all  the  signs,  and  they  could  not  have  done 
so  without  the  assistance  of  a  traitor. 

"  It's  all  up  with  us,  Wilton,"  said  Shuffles,  as  they 
met  near  the  foremast. 

"What  is?" 

"  Pelham  has  blowed  the  whole  thing." 

"  No  !  "  exclaimed  Wilton,  almost  paralyzed  by  the 
information. 

"  He  has.  The  captain  and  several  of  the  officers 
made  all  the  signs  to  me  just  now.  We  shall  spend 
our  time  in  the  brig  for  the  next  month." 

"Did  Pelham  do  it?" 

44  Yes." 

"  That  was  mean,"  added  Wilton,  his  face  pale  with 
terror. 

"  He  will  fall  overboard  accidentally  some  day," 
added  Shuffles,  shaking  his  head. 

"Don't  do  that,  Shuffles,"  protested  the  frightened 
confederate. 

"  I  will,  if  I  get  a  chance." 


YOUNG   AMERICA  AFLOAT.  3 II 

"  You  will  only  make  the  matter  ten  times  worse 
than  it  is." 

Monroe  joined  them,  and  was  informed  of  the  des* 
perate  situation  of  the  League. 

"  It's  all  your  fault,  Shuffles,"  said  Monroe,  indig- 
nantly.    *'  I  don't  blame  Pelham." 

"  You  don't !  He  has  told  a  dozen  outsiders  how 
to  make  the  signs,  and  let  them  into  the  secrets  of  the 
Chain,  for  all  I  know." 

"  If  he  has,  we  may  thank  you  for  it,  Shuffles. 
You  cheated  him,  and  played  a  mean  trick  upon 
him,"  replied  Monroe.  "  I  wouldn't  have  stood  it  if 
I  had  been  he." 

"  Pelham  is  a  traitor,  and  you  are  another." 

"  No  matter  what  he  is,  or  what  I  am.  You  got 
all  those  fellows  to  vote  for  you,  and  cheated  him  out 
of  the  place  that  belonged  to  him." 

"  Did  you  think  I  was  going  to  have  him  captain, 
after  I  had  got  up  the  Chain,  and  done  all  the  work?" 

"  You  agreed  to  leave  it  out  to  the  fellows  who 
should  be  captain.  They  voted,  and  you  cheated," 
added  Monroe.  "  I've  had  enough  of  the  Chain  ;  and 
if  any  fellow  makes  the  signs  again,  I  shall  not  notice 
them." 

"  Humph  !  It's  a  pretty  time  to  talk  so,  after  the 
whole  thing  is  let  out." 

"  Well,  I  will  face  the  music,  and  get  out  of  it  the 
best  way  I  can.     I  was  a  fool  to  join  the  Chain." 

"  So  was  I,"  said  Wilton. 

There  was  no  difficulty  in  arriving  at  such  a  con- 
clusion, after  the  affair  had  been  exposed ;  and  the 
sentiments   of  Wilton   and   Monroe  were,  or  would 


312  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

soon  be,  the  sentiments  of  all  the  members  of  the 
League.  Shuffles  realized  the  truth  of  the  old  adage, 
that  rats  desert  a  sinking  ship,  and  he  began  to  feel 
lonely  in  his  guilt  and  his  fear  of  exposure.  But  he 
could  not  forgive  Pelham  for  his  perfidy,  forgetting 
that  each  had  been  treacherous  to  the  other. 

In  the  first  dog  watch  on  that  day,  while  Shuffles' 
heart  was  still  rankling  with  hatred  towards  the  al- 
leged traitor,  the  rivals  met  in  the  waist,  which  was 
common  ground  to  officers  off  duty  and  seamen. 

"  I  want  to  see  you,  Pelham,"  said  Shuffles,  in  a 
low  tone. 

"  Well,  you  do  see  me  —  don't  you  ?  "  laughed  Pel- 
ham, who,  feeling  that  he  was  now  even  with  his 
rival,  was  in  excellent  humor. 

"  Things  are  going  wrong  with  us." 

"  O,  no  ;  I  think  not" 

"  Will  you  meet  me  on  the  top-gallant  forecastle^ 
where  we  shall  not  be  disturbed  ?  "  asked  Shuffles. 

"  That  is  noc  exactly  the  place  for  an  officer." 

"  You  are  off  duty,  and  you  can  go  where  you 
please." 

"  What  do  you  want  of  me?  " 

"  I  want  to  have  an  understanding." 

"  I  suppose  you  think  we  have  too  many  members 
—  don't  you  ?  "  asked  Pelham,  lightly. 

"  The  more  the  better." 

"  I'll  meet  you  there." 

Shuffles  went  to  the  place  designated  at  once,  where 
he  was  soon  followed  by  the  fourth  lieutenant. 

"Well,  Shuffles,  what  is  it?"  demanded  Pelham, 
as,  with  one  hand  on  the  sheet  of  the  fore-topmast 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  313 

staysail,  he  looked  over  the  bow  at  the  bone  in  the 
teeth  of  the  ship. 

"  What  is  it?  Don't  you  know  what  it  is?"  replied 
Shuffles,  angrily. 

"  Upon  my  life,  I  don't  know." 

"  You  have  been  a  traitor,"  exclaimed  Shuffles,  with 
savage  earnestness. 

"O!  have  I?" 

"  You  know  you  have." 

"  Perhaps  you  would  be  willing  to  tell  me  wherein 
I  have  been  a  traitor,"  added  Pelham,  laughing  ;  for 
he  was  enjoying  the  scene  he  had  witnessed  in  the 
waist,  when,  one  after  another,  the  "  outsiders  "  had 
made  the  signs  to  his  rival. 

"  You  have  betrayed  the  secrets  of  the  Chain." 

"Havel?" 

"  Didn't  you  give  the  signs  to  Paul  Kendall,  the 
captain,  and  half  a  dozen  others  ?  " 

"  But,  my  dear  fellow,  they  are  members,"  replied 
Pelham,  chuckling. 

"  They  are  not ;  and  you  know  they  are  not." 

"  But,  Shuffles,  just  consider  that  all  of  them  voted 
for  you." 

"  I  don't  care  for  that." 

"  I  do.  You  recognized  them  as  members  first, 
and  I  couldn't  do  less  than  you  did." 

"You  are  a  traitor!"  said  Shuffles,  red  in  the  face 
with  passion  ;  and  the  word  hissed  through  bis  closed 
teeth. 

"  Well,  just  as  you  like  :  we  won't  quarrel  about 
the  meaning  of  words,"  replied  Pelham,  gayly ;  for 
he  enjoyed  the  discomfiture  of  his  rival,  and  felt  that 
27 


314  OUTWARD    BOUfiD,    OR 

Shuffles  deserved  all  he  got,  for  the  foul  play  of  which 
he  had  been  guilty  on  the  ballot. 

"  You  pledged  yourself  to  be  honest,  and  stand  by 
the  vote,  fair  or  foul." 

"  Very  true,  my  dear  fellow ;  and  I  do  so.  Give 
me  your  orders,  and  I  will  obey  them." 

"  But  you  have  exposed  the  whole  thing,"  retorted 
Shuffles.  "  What  can  we  do  now,  when  Kendall  and 
the  captain  know  all  about  it?"  . 

"  They  don't  know  any  more  than  the  law  allows. 
Besides,  they  are  members.  Didn't  they  vote  for  you? 
Didn't  they  know  beans?  "  continued  Pelham,  in  the 
most  tantalizing  of  tones. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  insult  me  ?  "  demanded  Shuffles, 
unable  to  control  his  rage. 

"  Not  I.  I  respect  you  too  much.  You  are  the 
captain  —  that  is  to  be  —  of  the  ship,"  laughed  Pel- 
ham.  "  The  captain,  the  second  lieutenant,  and  all 
the  flunkies,  voted  for  you  ;  and,  of  course,  I  couldn't 
be  so  deficient  in  politeness  as  to  insult  one  who " 

At  that  moment  Pelham  removed  his  hand  from 
the  sheet,  and  Shuffles,  irritated  beyond  control  at  the 
badinage  of  his  companion,  gave  him  a  sudden  push, 
and  the  fourth  lieutenant  went  down  into  the  surges, 
under  the  bow  of  the  ship. 

As  Pelham  disappeared  beneath  the  waves,  Shuf- 
fles was  appalled  at  his  own  act ;  for  even  he  had  not 
sunk  so  low  as  to  contemplate  murder.  The  deed  was 
not  premeditated.  It  was  done  on  the  spur  of  angry 
excitement,  which  dethroned  his  reason.  The  chief 
conspirator  had  so  often  and  so  lightly  used  the  lan- 
guage of  the  League,  about  "  falling  overboard  acci- 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  315 

dentally,"  that  he  had  become  familiar  with  the  idea  ; 
and,  perhaps,  the  deed  seemed  less  terrible  to  him. 
than  it  really  was.  When  the  act  was  done,  on  the 
impulse  of  the  moment,  he  realized  his  own  situation, 
and  that  of  his  victim.  He  would  have  given  any- 
thing at  that  instant,  as  he  looked  down  upon  the  dark 
waves,  to  have  recalled  the  deed  ;  but  it  was  too  late. 
Self-reproach  and  terror  overwhelmed  him. 

"  Man  overboard  !  "  he  shouted  with  desperation, 
as  he  threw  off  his  pea-jacket,  and  dived,  head  fore- 
most, from  the  forecastle  into  the  sea. 

His  first  impulse  had  been  to  do  a  foul  deed  ;  his 
next,  to  undo  it.  Shuffles  was  a  powerful  swimmer. 
The  ocean  was  his  element.  He  struck  the  water 
hardly  an  instant  after  Pelham  ;  and  the  ship,  which 
was  under  all  sail,  making  nine  knots,  hurried  on  her 
course,  leaving  the  rivals  to  buffet  the  waves  unaided. 

"  Man  overboard  !  "  cried  officers  and  seamen,  on 
all  parts  of  the  ship's  deck. 

"  Hard  down  the  helm,  quartermaster  !  Let  go  the 
life-buoys  !  "  shouted  Kendall,  who  was  the  officer  of 
the  deck. 

"  Hard  down,  sir.  Buoy  overboard,"  replied  Ben- 
nington, the  quartermaster  at  the  helm. 

"  Clear  away  the  third  cutter  !  "  added  Kendall. 

The  orders  were  rapidly  given  for  backing  the  main- 
topsail,  while  the  courses  were  clewTed  up  ;  but  the  ship 
went  on  a  considerable  distance  before  her  headway 
could  be  arrested. 

When  Pelham  went  down  into  the  water,  he  had 
been  injured  by  the  fall ;  and  though  he  struck  out  to 
save  himself,  it  was  not  with  his  usual  skill  and  vigor} 


316  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

for,  like  his  companion  in  the  water,  he  was  a  good 
swimmer.  Shuffles  had  struck  the  waves  in  proper 
attitude,  and  was  in  condition  to  exert  all  his  powers 
when  he  came  to  the  surface.  He  swam  towards 
Pelham,  intent  upon  rendering  him  the  assistance  he. 
might  require. 

"Do  you  mean  to  drown  1x16?"  gasped  Pelham, 
who  supposed  his  rival  had  followed  him  overboard 
for  the  purpose  of  completing  his  work. 

u  I  mean  to  save  you,  Pelham,"  replied  Shuffles. 
"  Can  you  swim?" 

"  I'm  hurt." 

"  Give  me  your  hand,  and  I  will  support  you." 

Shuffles  took  the  offered  hand  of  Pmelham,  who  was 
able  to  swim  a  little,  and  supported  him  till  they  could 
reach  the  life-buoy,  which  had  been  dropped  from  the 
stern  of  the  ship  when  the  alarming  cry  was  given. 

"Where  are  you  hurt?"  asked  Shuffles,  as  soon  as 
they  had  grasped  the  buoy. 

"  My  stomach  struck  the  water,"  replied  Pelham, 
faintly. 

The  third  cutter  had  been  lowered  into  the  water  as 
soon  as  the  ship's  headway  was  stopped,  and  was  now 
within  a  few  yards  of  the  buoy. 

"  Will  you  forgive  me,  Pelham?  I  was  beside  my- 
self," said  Shuffles,  when  his  companion  had  recovered 
breath  after  his  exertions. 

"  You  have  saved  me,  Shuffles.  I  should  have  gone 
down  without  you." 

"  Will  you  forgive  me?"  pleaded  the  penitent.  "  I 
did  not  mean  to  injure  you." 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  317 

"  Never  mind  it ;  we  won't  say  a  word  about  it," 
answered  Pelham,  as  the  boat  came  up. 

They  were  assisted  into  the  cutter,  and  the  oarsmen 
pulled  back  to  the  ship.  When  the  party  reached  the 
deck,  a  cheer  burst  from  a  portion  of  the  crew  ;  but 
Wilton,  Monroe,  and  a  few  others,  believing  that  Pel- 
ham  had  "  fallen  overboard  accidentally,"  were  ap- 
palled at  the  probable  consequences  of  the  event. 

Pelham  was  assisted  to  the  after  cabin,  where  Dr. 
Winstock  immediately  attended  him.  He  was  not 
seriously  injured  ;  and  the  next  day  he  was  able  to  be 
on  deck,  and  do  duty. 

"How  was  that?"  asked  Wilton,  when  Shuffles 
had  changed  his  clothes,  and  warmed  himself  at  the 
stove,  as  they  met  in  the  waist. 

Shuffles  looked  sad  and  solemn.  He  made  no 
reply. 

"Did  he  fall  overboard  accidentally?"  demanded 
Wilton. 

"  Don't  ask  me." 

"  You  jumped  in  after  him,  and  saved  him,  they 
say,"  added  Wilton  ;  "  so,  I  suppose,  it  was  really  an 
accident." 

Shuffles  still  made  no  reply. 
2V* 


318  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  END  OF  THE  CHAIN  LEAGUE. 

THE  fact  that  Shuffles  had  plunged  into  the  sea, 
and  labored  so  effectively  for  the  rescue  of  the 
fourth  lieutenant,  blinded  the  .eyes  of  "  our  fellows," 
who,  knowing  the  penalty  of  treachery  to  the  "  Chain," 
might  otherwise  have  suspected  that  he  had  "  fallen 
overboard  accidentally,"  or,  in  other  words,  that  he 
had  been  pushed  into  the  water  by  his  unscrupulous 
rival.  Wilton,  Monroe,  and  Adler,  had  discussed 
the  matter,  and  reached  the  conclusion  that  Pelham 
had  been  knocked  over  by  the  shaking  of  the  stay*" 
sail  sheet,  or  that  he  had  really  fallen  accidentally. 
They  had  been  appalled  and  horrified  by  the  event ; 
and  those  who  were  disgusted  with  the  League  were 
not  disposed  to  betray  its  secrets  ;  for  it  was  possible, 
though  not  probable,  that  the  mishap  which  had  be- 
fallen Pelham  was  an  incident  in  the  history  of  the 
"  Chain." 

When  a  wicked  man  or  a  wicked  boy  exceeds  his 
average  wickedness,  the  excess  sometimes  produces  a 
moral  reaction.  A  person  who  tipples  moderately 
may  have  the  drunkard's  fate  vividly  foreshadowed  to 
him  by  getting  absolutely  drunk  himself,  and  thus  be 
induced   to    abandon    a    dangerous    practice.      That 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  3 1 9 

loathsome  disease,  small  pox,  sometimes  leaves  the 
patient  better  than  it  finds  him  ;  and  through,  and 
on  account  of,  the  vilest  sin  may  come  the  sinner's 
reformation. 

Shuffles  had  exceeded  himself  in  wickedness  ;  and 
the  fact  that  his  foul  design  was  not  even  suspected  bv 
any  other  person  than  his  intended  victim  did  not  di-* 
minish  his  self-reproaches.  He  shuddered  when  he 
thought  of  the  remorse  which  must  have  gnawed  his 
soul  during  the  rest  of  his  lifetime  if  Pelham  had  been 
drowned.  He  would  have  been  a  murderer ;  and 
while  so  many  knew  the  penalty  of  treachery  to  the 
League,  he  could  hardly  have  escaped  suspicion  and 
detection. 

A  reaction  had  been  produced  in  his  mind  ;  but  it 
was  not  a  healthy  movement  of  the  moral  nature.  It 
was  not  so  much  the  awful  crime  he  had  impulsively 
committed,  as  the  terrible  consequences  which  would 
have  followed,  that  caused  him  to  shrink  from  it.  It 
was  an  awful  crime,  and  his  nature  revolted  at  it.  He 
could  not  have  done  it  without  the  impulse  of  an  in- 
sane passion;  but  it  was  dreadful  because  it  would 
have  shut  him  out  from  society  ;  because  it  would  have 
placed  the  mark  of  Cain  upon  him  ;  because  the  dun- 
geon and  the  gallows  were  beyond  it,  —  rather  than 
because  it  was  the  sacrifice  of  a  human  life,  of  one 
created  in  the  image  of  God. 

Shuffles  was  in  a  state  of  terror,  as  one  who  has 
just  escaped  from  an  awful  gulf  that  yawned  before 
him.  He  was  not  sincerely  penitent,  as  one  who  feels 
the  enormity  ot  his  offence.     He  was  not  prepared  to 


320  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

acknowledge  his  sin  before  God,  whose  law  he  had 
outraged. 

When  Pelham  came  on  deck,  on  the  day  after  the 
exciting  event,  he  greeted  Shuffles  with  his  accustomed 
suavity,  and  seemed  not  to  bear  any  malice  in  his  heart 
against  the  author  of  his  misfortune.  Officers  and  sea- 
men, as  well  as  the  principal  and  the  professors,  con- 
gratulated him  upon  his  escape  from  the  peril  which 
had  menaced  him  ;  and  all  commended  Shuffles  for 
his  prompt  and  noble  efforts  in  rescuing  him.  Pel- 
ham  dissented  from  none  of  their  conclusions,  and 
was  as  generous  in  his  praise  of  the  deliverer  as  the 
occasion  required. 

Shuffles  was  rather  astonished  to  find  himself  a 
lion  on  board,  and  at  being  specially  thanked  by  Mr. 
Lowington  for  his  humane  exertions  in  saving  a  ship- 
mate. He  was  so  warmly  and  so  generously  com- 
mended that  he  almost  reached  the  conclusion  himself 
that  he  had  done  a  good  thing.  He  was  not  satisfied 
with  himself.  He  was  in  the  power  of  Pelham,  who, 
by  a  word,  could  change  the  current  of  popular  sen- 
timent, and  arraign  him  for  the  gravest  of  crimes.  If 
the  fourth  lieutenant  spoke,  Shuffles  realized  that  he 
should  be  shunned  and  despised,  as  well  as  hated  and 
feared,  by  all  on  board  the  ship.  It  was  quite  natural, 
therefore,  for  him  to  desire  a  better  understanding' 
with  Pelham. 

The  League  had  fallen  into  contempt,  at  least  for 
the  present.  Even  "  our  fellows  "  would  not  have 
spirit  enough  to  strike  the  blow  ;  besides,  the  terrible 
gulf  from  which  Shuffles  had  just  escaped  was  too 
vivid  in  his  mind  to  permit  him  to  place  himself  on 


YOUNG    AMERICA   AFLOAT.  32 1 

the  brink  of  another.  So  far  the  reaction  was  salu- 
tary. 

"When  may  I  see  you,  Mr.  Pelham?"  said  Shuf- 
fles, as  they  came  together  in  the  waist. 

"  We  will  visit  the  top-gallant  forecastle  again,  and 
see  if  we  can  understand  how  I  happened  to  fall  over- 
board, for  really  I'm  not  in  the  habit  of  doing  such 
things,"  replied  Pelham,  with  a  smile. 

They  walked  forward  together,  and  mounted  the 
ladder  to  the  place  indicated. 

"  Shuffles,  I  never  paid  much  attention  to  the  snap- 
per of  the  toggle  before,  and  never  supposed  it  meant 
anything  in  particular,"  continued  Pelham,  as  he 
placed  himself  in  the  position  he  had  occupied  before 
he  went  over  the  bow.  "  Am  I  in  any  danger 
now?  " 

"  No,  Pelham,  no ! "  replied  Shuffles,  earnestly. 
"You  provoked  me  so  by  your  cool  taunts  that  I 
pushed  you  over  before  I  thought  what  I  was  about." 

"  Did  you  really  mean  to  drown  me  ?  " 

"  Upon  my  soul,  I  did  not.  If  you  knew  how  I  felt 
when  I  saw  you  strike  the  water,  and  realized  what  I 
had  done,  you  would  forgive  me." 

"  I  have  done  that  already,  Shuffles." 

"  I  would  have  given  my  own  life  for  yours  at  that 
instant,  Pelham." 

"  You  saved  me,  after  all,  Shuffles.  When  I  went 
over,  I  either  hit  the  side  of  the  ship,  or  struck  my 
stomach  on  the  water,  for  all  the  breath  seemed  to  be 
knocked  out  of  me.  I  hardly  knew  what  I  was  about 
in  the  water  till  I  saw  you.  At  first  I  supposed  you 
had  jumped  overboard  to  finish  your  job." 


322  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  You  wronged  me  ;  I  would  have  saved  you,  if  1 
had  been  sure  of  perishing  myself." 

"  You  did  save  me,  and  I  am  willing  to  let  that  act 
offset  the  other." 

"  I'm  grateful  to  you  for  this,  Pelham.  You  treat 
me  better  than  I  deserve." 

"  Never  mind  it  now  ;  we  will  call  it  square,"  re- 
plied Pelham,  lightly.  "  How  about  the  Chain,  Shuf- 
fles?    We  shall  be  in  sight  of  land  by  to-morrow." 

"  We  can't  do  anything  now." 

"Why  not?" 

"How  can  we?  After  whit  has  happened,  I  will 
not  reproach  you  for  what  yuu  did.  You  know  how 
you  provoked  me.  You  have  exposed  the  whole 
affair  to  the  officers." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it." 

"  No." 

"  Certainly  not.  Did  you  ever  know  Augustus 
Pelham  to  violate  his  obligations?"  demanded  Pel- 
ham, with  dignity. 

"  Never  before  ;  but  the  captain,  the  second  lieuten- 
ant, and  seven  others,  who  would  no  more  join  the 
League  than  they  would  steal  your  pocket-book,  went 
through  all  the  signs  with  me." 

"  They  all  voted  too,"  laughed  Pelham. 

"  I  am  willing  to  confess  that  I  played  off  a  mean 
trick  upon  you." 

"  And  I  have  only  made  myself  even  with  you.  I 
have  not  betrayed  a  single  secret  of  the  Chain  to  any 
one  not  posted  —  except  the  signs.  If  I  had,  of  course 
you  and  I  Would  both  have  been  in  the  brig  before 
this  time." 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  323 

"  I  was  puzzled  to  find  nothing  was  said,"  added 
Shuffles. 

"  No  one  knows  anything.  The  Chain  is  as  perfect 
as  ever.  Give  me  your  orders,  and  I  will  carry  them 
out." 

"  The  fellows  have  backed  out  now." 

"  Then,  of  course,  we  must  do  the  same.  I  doubt 
whether  we  could  have  carried  the  thing  out." 

"  No  matter  whether  we  could  or  not:  we  must 
drop  it  for  the  present.  The  fellows  all  suppose  they 
are  caught  now,  and  expect  every  moment  to  be  hauled 
up  to  the  mast  for  an  investigation." 

"  They  are  all  safe  ;  at  least  we  can  purchase  their 
safety  for  ten  shillings  apiece,"  laughed  Pelham. 

"Purchase  it!"  exclaimed  Shuffles,  mystified  by 
the  language  of  his  companion. 

"Just  so  —  purchase  it,"  added  Pelham;  and  he 
proceeded  to  inform  his  late  rival  of  the  trick  he  had 
invented  in  retaliation  for  the  one  Shuffles  had  put 
upon  him. 

"  It  was  tit  for  tat,"  said  Shuffles. 

u  I  told  nothing  which  would  harm  either  of  us, 
for  I  am  just  as  deep  in  the  mud  as  you  are  in  the 
mire." 

"  That's  true.     We  must  hang  together." 

"  I  hope  not,"  replied  Pelham,  laughing.  "  We 
have  got  into  this  scrape,  and  we  must  get  out  of  it." 

"  Suppose  the  captain  or  the  second  lieutenant 
should  make  the  signs  to  one  of  our  fellows,  and  he 
should  tell  what  we  were  going  to  do." 

"  I  told  all  my  recruits  not  to  answer  any  signs  now, 
whoever  made  them." 


324  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  I  did  the  same,  when  I  found  the  captain  knew 
them." 

"  Then  we  are  safe  ;  but  the  silver  pitcher  must  be 
forthcoming." 

"  The  fellows  will  all  be  glad  enough  to  get  out  of 
this  scrape  by  paying  ten  shillings." 

"  Very  well ;  then  every  one  of  them  must  sign  an 
order  on  Mr.  Lowington  for  ten  shillings,  payable  to 
Dr.  Winstock,"  added  Pelham. 

"  They  will  do  it.  Are  you  sure  nothing  has  leaked 
out?" 

"  Very  sure  ;  there  would  have  been  a  tremendous 
commotion  before  this  time,  if  Our  real  object  had 
been  even  suspected." 

"  No  doubt  of  that." 

"  After  all,  Shuffles,  do  you  really  think  we  intend- 
ed to  take  the  ship  ?  " 

"  I  did  ;  I  know  that." 

"  I  don't  believe  I  did,"  said  the  fourth  lieutenant. 
"  Nothing  seemed  exactly  real  to  me,  until  I  went 
overboard." 

"  It  was  more  real  to  me  then  than  ever  before," 
replied  Shuffles.  "  What  shall  we  do  with  the  Chain 
now  ?  " 

"  Nothing ;  we  may  want  to  use  it  again,  some 
time.  Let  every  fellow  keep  still.  When  the  princi- 
pal gets  his  silver  pitcher,  which  the  doctor  will  pro- 
cure as  soon  as  he  can  go  up  to  Cork,  he  will  think 
the  members  of  the  Chain  are  the  best  fellows  on 
board." 

"  I  think  you  have  sold  the  whole  of  us,  Pelham," 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  325 

continued  Shuffles,  with  a  sheepish  smile.  "  Here's 
the  end  of  the  Chain " 

"  Yes,  and  we  may  be  thankful  that  it  isn't  the  end 
of  a  rope  instead  of  a  chain,"  laughed  Pelham.  "  The 
penalty  of  mutiny  is  death." 

"  I  have  had  no  fear  of  that ;  it  would  have  been 
regarded  only  as  a  lark.  But  it  is  really  amusing  to 
think  where  we  have  come  out,"  added  Shuffles.  "  We 
formed  the  'Chain'  because  Lowington  was  tyran- 
nical ;  most  of  the  fellows  joined  it  because  he  took 
their  money  from  them." 

"  Precisely  so." 

"  And  we  are  going  to  end  it  by  giving  Lowington 
a  silver  pitcher,  in  token  of  our  respect  and  esteem  !  " 

"  In  other  words,  Shuffles,  we  have  played  this 
game,  and  whipped  out  each  other,  without  any  help 
from  the  principal.  It  was  mean  business  —  I  really 
think  so  ;  and  while  we  were  trying  to  overreach 
each  other,  the  game  slipped  through  our  fingers. 
I  am  really  grateful  when  I  think  what  an  awful 
scrape  wre  have  avoided." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,"  replied  Shuffles,  thought- 
fully ;  "  but  there  was  fun  in  the  scheme." 

"  There  might  have  been,  if  we  had  succeeded  ;  but 
it  would  have  been  anything  but  fun  if  we  had  failed. 
Some  of  us  would  have  found  quarters  in  the  brig, 
and  we  should  not  have  been  allowed  to  go  on  shore 
when  we  reached  Queenstown." 

"  A  fellow  won't  want  to  go  on  shore  without  any 
money,"  growled  Shuffles,  who  was  not  wholly  cured 
of  his  discontent. 

"  Since  I  went  overboard  I  have  been  thinking  a 
28 


326  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

great  deal  of  this  matter.  I  have  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  Mr.  Lowington  is  not  the  worst  man  in  the 
world." 

"  He  is  harsh  and  tyrannical." 

"  I  don't  think  he  ought  to  have  taken  our  money 
from  us  ;  but  I  judge  him  from  all  his  acts,  not  by  one 
alone." 

Pelham  seemed  to  have  turned  over  a  new  leaf,  and 
to  be  sincerely  sorry  for  his  attitude  of  rebellion. 
Shuffles  was  not  to  be  convinced  ;  he  was  to  be*  over- 
whelmed in  another  manner. 

The  rivals  separated,  with  their  differences  re- 
moved, and  with  full  confidence  in  each  other.  Pel- 
ham  wrote  thirty-one  orders  on  the  principal  for  ten 
shillings  each,  in  favor  of  the  surgeon,  during  his  off- 
time  on  that  day,  which  were  to  be  signed  and  handed 
to  Paul  Kendall.  As  opportunity  occurred,  the  "  sit- 
uation "  was  explained  to  the  members  of  the  League  ; 
and  though  many  of  them  growled  at  the  idea  of 
giving  a  present  to  Mr.  Lowington  for  taking  their 
money  from  them,  not  one  of  them  refused  to  sign 
the  orders ;  none  of  them  dared  to  refuse. 

In  due  time  Dr.  Winstock  had  possession  of  all  these 
little  drafts,  amounting  in  the  aggregate  to  fifteen 
pounds,  ten  shillings,  which  would  purchase  quite  a 
respectable  piece  of  plate.  Paul  Kendall  was  the 
happiest  student  on  board,  for  the  presentation  her- 
alded the  era  of  good  feeling.  The  League  was 
virtually  dead  for  the  present,  if  not  forever.  The 
inherent  evil  of  the  organization,  with  the  bickerings 
and  bad  passions  of  its  members,  had  killed  it  — 
the  turtle  had  swallowed  his  own  head. 


YOUNG   AMERICA    AFLOAT.  327 

The  weather  continued  fine ;  the  routine  of  ship's 
duty  and  the  stud.es  went  on  without  interruption.  On 
the  twenty-fourth  day  out,  at  three  bells  in  the  after- 
noon watch,  a  tremendous  excitement  was  created  on 
board. 

"  Land  on  the  port  bow  !  "  shouted  one  of  the  crew? 
who  had  been  stationed  on  the  fore  yard-arm  as  a 
lookout. 

All  on  deck  sprang  into  the  rigging,  to  get  a  sight 
of  the  welcome  shore.  It  looked  like  a  fog  bank  in 
the  distance  ;  there  was  really  nothing  to  be  seen,  but 
the  fact  that  the  ship  was  in  sis:ht  of  land  was  enough 

XT  O  O 

to  create  an  excitement  among  the  boys. 

At  three  bells,  in  the  first  dog  watch,  the  land  was 
distinctly  visible.  It  was  the  Island  of  Dursey,  and 
was  now  seen  on  the  beam,  while  other  land  appeared 
in  sight  ahead.  It  was  Sunday,  and  all  hands  were  at 
liberty  to  enjoy  this  first  view  of  the  new  continent. 
The  boys  thought  the  land  looked  just  like  that  they 
had  last  seen  on  the  shore  of  the  western  continent, 
and  perhaps  some  of  them  were  disappointed  because 
everything  looked  so  natural. 

The  officers  and  crew  were  impatient  to  make  their 
destined  port ;  but  the  wind  subsided  as  the  sun  went 
down  on  that  quiet  Sabbath  day  on  the  ocean.  The 
ship  hardly  made  twenty  miles  before  daylight  in  the 
morning. 

At  eight  o'clock,  on  Monday,  when  Paul  Kendall 
had  the  deck,  the  Young  America  was  off  Fastnet 
Rock,  and  not  more  than  half  a  mile  from  it.  It  is 
about  ten  miles  from  Cape  Clear,  and  is  a  solitary 
rock  rising  out  of  the  sea,  on  which  a  lighthouse  is 


328  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

located.  The  water  around  it  was  covered  with  small 
boats  engaged  in  fishing.  The  port  watch  were  all  on 
deck,  and  the  scene  was  full  of  interest  to  them.  The 
people  whom  they  saw  belonged  to  another  continent 
than  that  in  which  they  lived.  All  was  new  and 
strange  to  them,  and  all  were  interested  in  observing 
the  distant  shore,  and  the  objects  near  the  ship. 

At  one  bell  in  the  afternoon  watch,  when  the  Young 
America  was  off  Gaily  Head,  all  hands  were'piped  to 
muster.  Mr.  Lowington,  on  taking  the  rostrum,  said 
that  he  had  received  a  petition  signed  by  a  majority  of 
the  officers  and  crew. 

"  A  petition  to  go  ashore,  I  suppose,"  said  Shuffles 
to  Pelham. 

"  I  think  not,"  laughed  the  fourth  lieutenant,  who 
appeared  to  know  what  was  coming. 

"  Young  gentlemen,"  continued  the  principal,  whose 
face  wore  an  unusually  pleasant  smile,  "  a  few  days 
since  you  were  all  filled  with  admiration  at  the  noble 
conduct  of  one  of  your  number,  who  saved  the  life  of 
another  at  the  peril  of  his  own." 

"  Want  to  go  ashore,  Shuffles?  "  whispered  Pelham. 

Shuffles  was  too  much  confused  to  make  any  reply ; 
he  did  not  know  whether  he  was  to  be  praised  or 
blamed. 

"  I  have  received  a  petition,  requesting  me  to  appoint 
Robert  Shuffles  second  lieutenant  of  the  ship,  in  place 
of  Paul  Kendall,  resigned,"  added  Mr.  Lowington. 

Shuffles  was  overwhelmed  with  astonishment,  and  a 
large  proportion  of  the  students  received  the  announce- 
ment with  hearty  applause. 

"  Young  gentlemen,    I   have  only  to    say  that  the 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  329 

petition  is  granted.  I  ought  to  add,  however,  that  no 
officer  will  lose  his  rank,  except  Mr.  Kendall,  who,  at 
his  own  desire,  will  take  the  vacant  number  in  the 
steerage,  now  belonging  to  Robert  Shuffles,  promoted. 
I  take  great  pleasure  in  granting  this  petition,  because 
the  request  is  honorable  to  you,  and  shows  a  proper 
appreciation  of  the  noble  conduct  of  your  shipmate. 
But  let  me  add,  that  you  should  divide  your  admira- 
tion between  the  one  who  rescued  his  friend  from 
death,  and  him  who  voluntarily  resigned  his  honorable 
position  in  the  after  cabin,  in  order  to  make  a  place  in 
which  merit  could  be  acknowledged  and  rewarded. 
Nothing  but  a  matter  of  life  and  death  could  have 
induced  me  to  vary  the  discipline  of  the  ship.  Young 
gentlemen,  you  are  dismissed  from  muster." 

"  Three  cheers  for  Paul  Kendall !  "  shouted  one  of 
the  boys. 

They  were  given. 

"  Three  cheers  for  Robert  Shuffles  !  "  added  Paul ; 
and  they  were  given. 

"  Mr.  Shuffles  will  repair  to  the  after  cabin,  where 
he  will  be  qualified,  and  take  his  position  at  once." 

"  Mr.  Lowington,  I  must  decline  Mr.  Kendall's 
generous  offer,"  interposed  Shuffles,  who  was  actually 
choking  with  emotion. 

"  This  matter  has  been  well  considered,  Shuffles," 
replied  the  principal ;  "  and  as  it  is  the  desire  of  a 
large  majority  of  your  shipmates  that  you  should 
accept  the  position,  I  think  you  had  better  do  so." 

"  There  isn't  a  student  in  the  ship  who  desires  it 
so  much  as  I  do,"  added  Paul,  with  generous  en* 
thusiasm.  "  You  know  I  told  you  I  would  like 
zS* 


330  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

to  be  in  the  steerage,  for  I  have  always  been  an 
officer." 

"  Allow  me  till  to-night,  if  you  please,  to  consider 
it,  Mr.  Lowington,"  replied  Shuffles,  as  he  grasped 
the  hand  of  Paul. 

"  Certainly,  if  you  desire  it." 

Shuffles  was  overwhelmed  by  the  magnanimity  of 
Paul  and  the  kindness  of  the  principal*.  At  that 
moment  he  would  have  given  everything  to  be  such 
a  young  man  as  the  second  lieutenant ;  to  be  as  good 
and  true,  as  free  from  evil  thoughts  and  evil  purposes, 
as  he  was.  A  light  had  dawned  upon  the  rebel  and 
the  plotter  which  he  had  never  seen  before.  Good- 
ness and  truth  had  vindicated  themselves,  and  over- 
whelmed the  guilty  one. 

"  Mr.  Shuffles,  I  congratulate  you  on  your  promo- 
tion," said  the  chaplain,  extending  his  hand, 

"  I  cannot  accept  it,  sir,"  replied  the  repentant  mal- 
content. "  I  would  like  to  speak  with  you  alone,  Mr. 
Agneau." 

The  chaplain  took  him  to  his  state  room  in  the 
main  cabin  ;  and  there,  Shuffles,  conquered  and  sub- 
dued by  the  kindness  of  his  friends,  confessed  the 
terrible  crime  he  had  committed  —  that  he  had  pushed 
Pelham  overboard. 

The  chaplain  was  confounded  at  this  confession, 
but  still  more  so  when  the  self-convicted  conspirator 
revealed  all  the  secrets  of  "  The  Chain."  Shuffles 
mentioned  no  names ;  he  took  all  the  guilt  upon 
himself. 

"  I  am  astonished,  my  dear  young  friend,"  said  the 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  33 1 

chaplain.  "  Is  it  possible  the  life  you  saved  was 
imperilled  by  your  own  violent  passions  ?  " 

"  It  is  true,  sir,"  replied  Shuffles,  hardly  able  to 
control   his  feelings. 

"  Then  I  think  you  had  better  not  accept  the 
promotion  that  has  been  offered  to  you." 

"  I  will  not ;  I  would  jump  overboard  first.  I  am 
willing  to  be  punished  ;  I  deserve  it." 

"  Shuffles,  you  have  almost  atoned  for  your  errors 
by  confessing  them  ;  and  your  courageous  conduct, 
after  you  had  pushed  Pelham  into  the  sea,  proves  that 
you  sincerely  repented  that  act.  Shall  I  tell  Mr. 
Lowington  what  you  have  said  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  let  him  know  me  as  I  am  ;  let  him 
despise  me  as  I  deserve,"  replied  Shuffles,  wiping 
away  a  genuine  tear  of  repentance. 

Mr.  Agneau  talked  to  the  penitent  for  two  hours  ; 
and  finally  he  prayed.with  him  and  for  him.  If  never 
before,  the  moral  condition  of  the  culprit  was  now 
hopeful,  and  the  chaplain  labored  earnestly  and  faith- 
fully to  give  him  right  views  of  his  relations  to  God 
and  his  fellow-beings. 

"  Paul,"  said  Shuffles,  when  he  met  his  generous 
and  self-sacrificing  friend  in  the  waist,  after  the  con- 
ference in  the  state  room,  "  I  am  the  meanest  and 
vilest  fellow  on  board." 

"  No,  you  are  not !  "  exclaimed  Paul. 

"  I  would  give  the  world  to  be  like  you." 

"  No,  no  !     You  wrong  yourself,  and  overdo  me." 

"  I  have  confessed  all  to  the  chaplain,  and  you  will 
soon  know  me  as  I  am,  Paul.  I  will  not  take  your 
place    in   the    cabin.     Your  kindness   and  generosity 


332  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

have  overcome  me.  You  have  convinced  me  that 
doing  right  is  always   the  best  way." 

Paul  did  not  know  what  to  make  of  this  remarkable 
confession  ;  but,  after  supper,  all  hands  were  piped  to 
muster  again,  the  ship  being  off  Kinsale  Head,  nearly 
becalmed.  The  chaplain  had  informed  the  principal 
of  the  substance  of  Shuffles'  confession.  Mr.  Low- 
ington  laughed  at  "  The  Chain  League,"  the  signs  and 
the  passwords,  and  regarded  the  mutiny  as  a  matter 
of  little  consequence.  He  did  not  believe  that  Shuf- 
fles, or  his  followers,  had  really  intended  to  take  the 
ship.  The  project  was  too  monstrous  to  be  credible. 
The  fact  that  the  conspirator  had  attempted  the  life  of 
his  companion  was  a  grave  matter,  and  it  was  treated 
as  such.  Mr.  Agneau  was  entirely  confident  of  the 
sincerity  of  the  culprit's  repentance.  Shuffles  had 
refused  to  take  the  proffered  promotion,  which  was 
abundant  evidence  that  he  was"  in   earnest. 

The  penitent  was  sent  for,  and  repeated  his  confes- 
sion to  the  principal.  He  did  not  ask  to  be  exempted 
from  punishment ;  but  he  did  ask  to  be  forgiven.  He 
was  forgiven ;  but  when  the  crew  were  piped  to  mus- 
ter, all  the  particulars  of  the  intended  mutiny  were 
exposed  to  the  astonished  "  outsiders."  Paul  under- 
stood it  now.  Mr.  Lowingtori  ridiculed  the  mutiny ; 
but  he  spoke  very  seriously  of  the  consequences  of 
insubordination. 

"  Young  gentlemen,  Shuffles  has  not  mentioned  the 
name  of  a  single  student  in  connection  with  this  silly 
conspiracy ;  he  has  asked  to  be  excused  from  doing 
so.  I  grant  his  request,  and  I  hope  that  all  who  have 
engaged  in   the  affair  are  as  sincerely  sorry  for  their 


YOUNG    AMERICA    AFLOAT.  333 

connection  with  it  as  he  is.  Under  the  circumstances, 
Shuffles  will  not  be  promoted.  Young  gentlemen, 
you  are  dismissed." 

"  Shuffles  was  a  good  fellow  to  keep  us  in  the  dark," 
whispered  Sanborn  to  Wilton. 

"  Keep  still,"  replied  Wilton.  "  We  are  lucky  to  get 
out  of  the  scrape  on  any  terms." 

So  thought  all  of  them  ;  and  it  was  certainly  mag- 
nanimous on  the  part  of  the  chief  conspirator  to  be 
willing  to  assume  all  the  guilt,  and  sutler  all  the  pun- 
ishment. There  was  enough  of  good  in  Shuffles  to 
save  him  from   the  evil  of  his  nature. 

"  Paul,  there  is  one  more  thing  I  must  tell  you," 
said  Shuffles,  that  evening,  while  the  ship  lay  becalmed 
off  Kinsale.  "  You  remember  when  I  told  you  about 
the  gambling  in  the  steerage  ?  " 

"  I  do." 

"  I  was  deceiving  you  then.  I  only  exposed  the 
fellows  in  order  to  make  trouble.  I  knew  that  the 
students  would  be  closely  watched,  and  the  rules 
more  strictly  enforced,  which  would  make  them 
mad." 

"  What  did  you  want  to  make  them  mad  for?  " 

"  So  that  they  would  join  the  League." 

Ci  Well,  you  did  a  good  thing  for  the  ship  and  for 
the  fellows,  if  your  motives  were  not  good,"  replied 
Paul.     "  It  was  good  out  of  evil,  any  way." 

"  I  don't  think  half  so  many  fellows  would  have 
joined  if  Mr.  Lowington  hadn't  taken  their  money 
from  them." 

"  Have  you  seen  any  gambling  since  ?  " 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,  Paul." 


334  OUTWARD    BOUND,    OR 

"  I  am  glad  to  know  that." 

"  One  thing  more  ;  you  know  all  the  members  of 
the  League,  Paul." 

"I?" 

"  Yes  ;  you  have  their  names  on  the  orders,  for  ten 
shillings  each." 

"  So  I  have  ;  but  we  will  make  a  general  affair  of 
the  presentation,  and  that  will  cover  up  the  whole  of 
them." 

"  Thank  you,  Paul.  You  despise  me  as  much  as  ] 
like  and  respect  you." 

"■  I  don't  despise  you,  Shuffles.  You  have  done 
wrong,  but  I  respect  you  for  undoing  the  evil  you 
had  meditated.  We  are  all  weak  and  erring,  and 
we  can't  afford  to  despise  any  one.  On  the  con- 
trary, I  like  you,"  replied  Paul,  giving  Shuffles  his 
hand. 

"  You  treat  me  better  than  I  deserve,  Paul ;  but  if 
you  are  my  friend,  I  shall  be  all  the  better  for  it ;  and 
I  hope  you  will  not  be  worse." 

The  end  of  the  conspiracy  had  been  reached, 
Before  the  ship  came  to  anchor  in  the  Cove,  every 
boy  on  board  had  drawn  his  order  on  the  principal 
for  ten  shillings,  and  the  members  of  the  League  were 
veiled  beneath  the  mass  of  names. 

At  sunrise,  on  Tuesday  morning,  the  ship  had  a  gen- 
tle breeze  ;  and  at  three  bells  in  the  forenoon  watch, 
she  was  off  Roches  Point,  with  the  Union  Jack  at  the 
foremast-head,  as  a  signal  for  a  pilot.  On  this  ex- 
citing occasion,  the  studies  and  recitations  were  sus- 
pended, to  enable  all  the  students  to  see  the  shores, 
and  enjoy  the  scene.     The  pilot  made  his  appearance, 


YOUNG   AMERICA   AFLOAT.  335 

gave  Mr.  Lowington  the  latest  Cork  papers,  and  took 
charge  of  the  ship.  The  honest  Irishman  was  not  a 
little  surprised  to  find  the  vessel  manned  "  wid  nothing 
in  the  wide  wurld  but  by's  ; "  but  he  found  they  were 
good  seamen. 

The  Young  America  ran  into  the  beautiful  bay 
through  the  narrow  opening,  with  Carlisle  Fort  on  the 
starboard  and  Camden  Fort  on  the  port  hand.  The 
students  were  intensely  excited  by  the  near  view  of 
the  land,  of  the  odd  little  steamers  that  went  whisking 
about,  and  the  distant  view  of  Queenstown,  on  the 
slope  of  the  hill  at  the  head  of  the  bay.  They  were 
in  Europe  now. 

"  All  hands  to  bring  ship  to  anchor !  "  said  the 
first  lieutenant,  when  the  ship  was  approaching  the 
town. 

The  light  sails  were  furled,  the  port  anchor  cleared 
away,  and  every  preparation  made  for  the  moor- 
ing. Then  the  orders  to  let  go  the  topsail  sheets, 
clew  up  the  topsails,  and  haul  down  the  jib,  were 
given. 

"  Port  the  helm  !  Stand  clear  of  the  cable  !  Let 
go  the  port  anchor !  " 

The  cable  rattled  through  the  hawse-hole,  the 
anchor  went  to  the  bottom,  the  Young  America  swung 
round,  and  her  voyage  across  the  ocean  was  happily 
terminated.  Three  rousing  cheers  -were  given  in 
honor  of  the  auspicious  event,  and  when  the  sails  had 
been  furled,  the  crew  were  piped  to  dinner. 

And  here,  at  the  close  of  the  voyage,  we  leave  the 
Young  America,  with  her  officers  and  crew  wiser  and 
better,  we  trust,  than  when  they  sailed  from  the  shores 


336  OUTWARD    BOUND. 

of  their  native  country.  They  were  now  to  entei 
upon  a  new  life  in  foreign  lands ;  and  what  they 
saw  and  what  they  did,  on  sea  and  shore,  during  the 
following  weeks,  will  be  related  in  "  Shamrock 
and  Thistle,  or  Young  America  in  Ireland  and 
Scotland? 


